Overview
Deafness is often difficult to assess accurately, mainly because dogs are not able to tell us when they have trouble hearing. Usually, it is their failure to obey commands or respond to familiar noises that first alert dog owners to a deafness problem.
Compared to humans, dogs have a much different range of hearing. Humans can hear sounds in the 20 Hz (low sounds) to 20 kHz (high sounds) range. By comparison, a dog has a range of about 67 Hz to 45 KHz.
Deafness can be hereditary in many dog breeds. Breeds most commonly affected include dalmatians, border collies, English setters, Boston terriers, collies, and rottweilers. It can also be associated with a genetic predisposition. Dogs with the merle coat color gene are predisposed to deafness.
Determining if Your Dog is Deaf
Deafness is difficult to evaluate in dogs, especially if only one ear is involved or if there is only partial deafness. Since dogs cannot tell us what they hear, the best criterion for confirming whether a dog can hear or not is by its response to sound (i.e. the pet must consciously perceive the sound).
You can determine your dog's ability to hear by making various noises (from quiet to increasingly louder noises) and seeing if your dog reacts. Often, pets will display an involuntary flicking or twitching of the ears (called "Pryor's reflex) in response to a sound. Some veterinary schools have also had some degree of success with objective evaluations of hearing, using electrodiagnostic procedures.
If you suspect that your dog has a hearing problem, consult your veterinarian so that he or she can determine what kind of deafness is involved and what can be done about it.