Dogs utilize all of their senses as they interact with and respond to the world around them. Therefore, it can be difficult to tell when one of these senses doesn’t work quite as well. By remaining patient and attuned to your dog’s needs and abilities, you can help them to adapt to any changes associated with hearing loss.
Why is This Happening?
Deficits in hearing loss can occur for a multitude of reasons. Some causes of deafness are congenital, meaning that a puppy is born with a hearing deficit. In other cases, certain medications used to treat an ear infection may cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. However, even with these risks, it’s still important to use these medications as directed by your veterinarian in order to avoid more serious consequences of untreated ear infections.
Most commonly, hearing loss is a degenerative issue that occurs in aging dogs. Technically called presbycusis, this condition is thought to be similar to age-related hearing deficits in people. Age-related hearing loss can occur in any breed of dog.
How Can I Tell?
Since most dogs experience hearing loss gradually, they typically learn to adapt to their diminished sense of hearing over time. As a result, it can be challenging to pick up on these often-subtle changes. Some of the first signs that you may notice at home may be that your dog does not come right away when called. Other dogs may not hear the familiar jingle of food going into their food bowl or notice a knock on the front door.
The only way to definitively diagnose hearing loss in dogs is through a Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) test, which evaluates the response of the cranial nerve associated with hearing. BAER testing is only conducted at certain specialty veterinary hospitals. This test is useful in diagnosing congenital deafness in puppies for breeding purposes. However, BAER testing is not typically recommended in cases of age-related hearing loss because the results will not change the prognosis or management strategies.
While it is important to have a full physical exam performed by a veterinarian to evaluate the ear canals and eardrum (tympanic membrane), most dog owners are able to get a sense for their four-legged friend’s hearing abilities at home. One simple way to check your senior pet’s hearing ability is to make a sudden noise while out of sight to see if it startles them. Take care not to make the noise too close to them, as they may feel vibrations on the floor or feel air being blown at them. Try calling your dog to a different room for a treat, walk or belly rub in varying volumes to see if they respond.
What Should I Expect and How Can I Help?
Dogs typically learn to adapt quite well to hearing loss. However, dogs experiencing some degree of hearing loss are more prone to being startled easily, particularly while sleeping, as they cannot hear you approach. It’s good to get in the habit of stomping more when you walk so that your dog can feel the vibrations on the floor when you’re around. Take care not to surprise your dog, as many dogs are quick to bite when they’re caught off guard. It’s best to only allow children to be around dogs with hearing loss under very close supervision. Children normally move quickly and suddenly, which can easily startle a dog that cannot hear them.
Teach your dog to respond to commands utilizing hand signals rather than words or auditory cues. Something as simple as training them that it’s time to go outside when you turn a light on and off is a valuable visual cue.
While your dog may be perfectly comfortable in your home, remember to be on high alert when you head outside. Dogs with hearing loss are not able to hear oncoming traffic, or approaching people and other dogs. Keep your dog on a leash for safety and help them by acting as an extra set of ears.