Q: I have a 7-year-old German Shorthair that I think is deaf. Is deafness common in dogs?

A. Deafness can be categorized into two basic types: Conduction Deafness and Nerve Deafness. Conduction Deafness is caused by diseases that either obliterates the ability of sound to enter the ear, damage the ear drum or damage to the bony parts of the ear. Examples of these diseases are infections in the outer ear, tumors, ear mites, a ruptured ear drum, or inflammation of the middle ear.

Nerve deafness occurs most commonly in older dogs due to degeneration of the ear nerves. It can also be caused by tumors of the ear nerves, infection of the inner ear and nerves, e.g. distemper or other causes.

About 20 breeds of dogs have been identified as having congenital deafness in puppies. German Shorthaired Pointers are not on that list.

In addition, some drugs, e.g. certain antibiotics, have been reported to decrease the ability to hear. In my experience, it has been somewhat difficult to document true deafness in dogs. Clapping hands while the dog is asleep is one old method of testing, but dogs respond to vibrations too and the response to testing with noise can be confusing. The treatment for deafness depends on the actual cause. Hearing aids for dogs have been developed but are not practical for most hunting situations.

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