deaf breeds

[Maxy24]

What dog breeds are commonly deaf? I know Dalmatians and Danes are there any others?

[FoxyWench]

bull terriers are prone, especially when solid white.
of the 5 american bulldogs ive met 4 of them have been deaf. English Bulldogs are nother breed that jumps to mind.
white dobes, white boxers...

[~Jessie~]

I've always heard that dogs with more than 75***37; white on them are prone to deafness. Also, white dogs lacking pigment on their ears.

[colliewog]

double merle Collies and Shelties are often deaf (not to be confused with color-headed whites, which are NOT hearing impared).

[mrose_s]

border collies, koolies and cattle dogs can be occasionally

[OutlineACDs]

ACD's can be born deaf.

Here is a link to all 80 breeds recogzined as having some form of congenital deafness. (From the OFA website linked through LSU I think) http://www.lsu.edu/deafness/breeds.htm

It is not necessarily true that dogs with light pigment or white dogs are all deaf. nor is it true that a dog with a black spot around its eye/on its ear etc is NOT deaf. Here is what is known about the cause of congenital deafness in dogs.


"The deafness, which usually develops in the first few weeks after birth while the ear canal is still closed, usually results from the degeneration of part of the blood supply to the cochlea (the stria vascularis). 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 (melanocytes) in the blood vessels."

You can read more here: http://www.offa.org/deafgeninfo.html

[~Jessie~]

Breeds with white pigmentation are most affected.

Not every white dog is deaf, but white dogs are more prone to deafness.

[OutlineACDs]

Yes, that is true. They cannot yet link it to a specific color gene. The two color genes that people will agree on that can be linked to deafness are the piebald and merle genes. Deaf dobermans do not carry either of those color genes.

[mjb]

Years ago when we looked at an Australian Shepherd puppy, it seems like I had read to be careful about deafness.