Congenital Deafness

Body function:

Ear

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Congenital deafness in dogs is a genetic condition that has a few different causes. In some dogs, it is associated with the piebald or merle genes. Dogs with this mutation experience degeneration of parts of the inner ear that are necessary for hearing due to the lack of coloration in their ears. In others, it results from hair cell loss in the inner ear.

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List of affected breeds:

Genetic research has linked this gene and condition in the following breeds:

Dalmatian

A black and white dog with large ears is looking up at the camera with a curious expression.

What does this mean for a dog with this trait?

There is no known cure for congenital deafness in dogs. Vibrating collars may help owners communicate with deaf dogs. There are also training classes for deaf dogs that focus on teaching dogs hand signals.

Symptoms

Signs of congenital deafness typically appear within a few weeks of birth. They include a lack of response to loud noises, easy startle response, and unusual vocalization. Dogs may also sleep more than normal and have less interest in activity.

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