Hereditary Congenital Deafness
by Jennie Bullock
Deafness (partial or total
hearing loss) can have a number of causes. It can be acquired - caused
by trauma, high fever, drug reactions, etc, or deafness can be congenital
(present at birth). Congenital deafness can be acquired; due to intrauterine
infections, liver disorders, or toxic exposure before or shortly after
birth, or congenital deafness can be inherited.
Hereditary congenital deafness
is a rare condition in the general purebred dog population. There
are however approximately 40 breeds (with more being reported) that have
reported incidences of this condition.
Dog breeds with reported incidence of
congenital deafness
| Akita |
Great Dane |
| American Staffordshire Terrier |
Great Pyrenees |
| Australian Cattle Dog |
Ibizan Hound |
| Australian Heeler |
Kuvasz |
| Beagle |
Maltese |
| Border Collie |
Miniature Poodle |
| Boston Terrier |
mixed breeds |
| Bulldog |
Norwegian Dunkerhound |
| Bull Terrier |
Old English Sheepdog |
| Catahoula Leopard Dog |
Papillon |
| Cocker Spaniel |
Pointer |
| Collie |
Rhodesian Ridgeback |
| Dalmatian |
Rottweiler |
| Dappled Dachshund |
Scottish Terrier |
| Doberman Pinscher |
Sealyham Terrier |
| Dogo Argentino |
Shetland Sheepdog |
| English Bulldog |
Shropshire Terrier |
| English Setter |
Walker American Foxhound |
| Foxhound |
West Highland White Terrier |
| Fox Terrier |
|
|
|
Congenital deafness is not exclusive
to these breeds. It has the potential to appear in any dog breed.
At the present time, congenital deafness appears to have a higher incidence
of occurrence in association with the presence of the merle and piebald
coat genes, within certain breeds.
Deafness can occur unilaterally
(one ear normal, one ear deaf), or deaf in both ears. Detecting deafness
in a unilateral dog can be difficult, however, there is a test called the
BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) test, which will measure and
record hearing loss. For more information regarding the BAER test please
see: Medical Index/BAER.
A number of dog breed clubs,
affected by the incidence of congenital deafness, have proposed that their
members only breed "normal" to "normal" animals. Responsible breeders,
throughout the United States, are making conscientious efforts to reduce
the incidence of this condition from within their breed.
If you are considering purchasing
a puppy from one of the affect dog breeds, deal only with a reputable dog
breeder.
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