Deafness

Overview:

Deafness can be congenital or acquired. If a pet is deaf in only one ear, it is likely that an owner will never know. Therefore, a patient is usually almost completely deaf before he/she is brought into the veterinary hospital.

Causes:

Congenital deafness means a patient is born deaf. Greater than 30 breeds (see below) are known to have a predisposition. White cats with blue irises may also be deaf.Acquired deafness can be due to: ear infections, ruptured ear drum, masses in the ear canal, some antibiotics, or degenerative nerve changes in older pets.

Symptoms:

Older pets will stop responding when their name is called or will be very difficult to wake up. Younger pets will be impossible to train and may not respond to squeaky toys. In cases of ear infections, an odor will be noticeable or the ear canal will appear swollen.

Treatment:

Most cases of deafness are not treatable. With ear infections, if the ear is treated appropriately, many pets will be able to hear again. Patients born deaf can learn basic discipline through sign language.

Breeds with Known Congenital Deafness

Akita
American Staffordshire Terrier
Australian heeler
Australian shepherd
Beagle
Border collie
Boston Terrier
Boxer
Bull terrier
Catahoula leopard dog
Cocker spaniel
Collie
Dalmation
Doberman pinscher
English bulldog
English setter
Fox terrier
Foxhound
German shepherd
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees
Ibizan hound
Parson Russell terrier (Jack Russell)
Kuvasz
Maltese
Miniature pinscher
Miniature poodle
Old English sheepdog
Papillon
Pointer
Rhodesian ridgeback
Rottweiler
St. Bernard
Schnauzer
Scottish terrier
Shetland sheepdog
Siberian husky
Toy poodle
West Highland white terrier.