Secondhand Snoots is dedicated to the rescue, rehoming and educating the community about animals with special needs, injuries and illnesses. We offer educational seminars and training demonstrations with deaf dogs.
Congenital deafness is usually associated with pigmentation patterns. There are two pigmentation genes that are often associated with deafness in dogs: the merle gene (seen in the collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Dappled Dachshund, Harlequin Great Dane, American Foxhound, and Old English Sheepdog, among others) and the piebald gene (Bull Terrier, Samoyed, Greyhound, Great Pyrenees, Beagle, Bulldog, Dalmatian, etc.).
However, not all breeds with these genes have are affected. Deafness, which usually develops in the first few weeks after birth while the ear canal is still closed, is usually caused by the degeneration of part of the blood supply to the cochlea. The nerve cells of the cochlea subsequently die and permanent deafness results. The cause of the vascular degeneration is not known, but appears to be associated with the absence of pigment producing cells in the blood vessels. All of the function of these cells are not known, but one role is to maintain high potassium concentrations in the fluid surrounding the hair cells of the cochlea. Deafness may also occur later in life in dogs from other causes such as toxicities, infections, or injuries, or due to aging; these forms of deafness almost never have a genetic cause. Dogs can be bilaterally or unilaterally deaf. A bilaterally deaf dog is completely (or mostly) deaf in both ears. A unilaterally deaf dog has hearing loss in only one ear and has full hearing in the other ear. Deaf dogs are trained using hand signals, while some people use standard American Sign Language, some make up their own signals. There is no right or wrong as long as you and your dog are able to communicate.
Email us to schedule a deaf dog educational seminar with your group, class, company, etc. today:
