Hearing

Hereditary Deafness is the most common health issue impacting the otherwise comparatively healthy Dalmatian. Somewhere around 10% of Dalmatian puppies are born bilaterally deaf.  Hereditary deafness in dogs is associated with white coat color, so every Dalmatian puppy should be tested for deafness before going into a new home. The BAER test is the standard for determining a puppy’s hearing status. 

BAER testing is a reliable diagnostic procedure that all ethical breeders pursue for their puppies between the ages of 5 and 7 weeks with 7 weeks being preferred for accurate results. Bilaterally deaf puppies need special consideration for placement, as they will require additional training.

Unilaterally hearing puppies or “Uni’s” can hear in one ear but are deaf in the other. The “uni’s” often are indistinguishable from bilaterally hearing dogs. Most of these puppies lead very normal lives with little notice of their “disability”. They may be directionally challenged, but they can hear.

Dalmatians do not “go deaf” any more than any other breeds do as part of the natural aging process. They can hear or they cannot within a few weeks of birth.

DCAF has funded several significant studies over the years to try to determine the genetics of hereditary deafness. Each study unravels a little more of this extremely complex genetic issue. You can read about them here.

DCA has also published Hearing 101 that provides some statistics, and breeding advice.