Why can’t my dog hear anymore? Is there any way I can help? If your dog is aging, dogs can experience “normal” hearing loss that is not a cause for alarm. However, you might need to change your communication style with a dog that has experienced hearing loss.
Dogs can understand hand signals like people understand sign language. You have to get their attention first by approaching slowly, making low-pitched noises if they can hear them, and stroking them gently on their head or back to let them know you are there.
What Causes Hearing Loss in Dogs
As dogs age, hearing loss, often called “presbycusis,” occurs primarily due to the degeneration of the inner ear’s hair cells (sensorineural hearing loss) and, potentially, the auditory nerve, impacting their ability to perceive sounds, particularly high-frequency sounds.
Here’s a more detailed explanation of the mechanism:
Sensorineural Hearing Loss:
- Hair Cell Damage: The inner ear contains specialized cells called “hair cells” that are responsible for converting sound vibrations into nerve impulses.
- Gradual Damage: As dogs age, these hair cells can degenerate or die off, leading to a gradual loss of hearing, especially for high-frequency sounds.
- Cochlea Degeneration: This damage is a common cause of sensorineural hearing loss and can occur in the cochlea, the spiral-shaped part of the inner ear where sound is processed.
Auditory Nerve Damage:
- Neural Hearing Loss: The auditory nerve, which transmits signals from the inner ear to the brain, can also be affected by age-related changes, potentially leading to neural hearing loss.
- Reduced Nerve Signals: Damage to the auditory nerve can reduce the number of nerve signals reaching the brain, resulting in reduced hearing.
Signs of Hearing Loss in Senior Dogs:
- Delayed Response to Sounds: Dogs may not respond to commands or sounds they used to react to.
- Startling Easily: They might react with anxiety or a sudden movement to sounds or being touched.
- Deeper Sleeping: They may sleep more heavily or be less alert.
- Difficulty Waking Up: They may be harder to wake up from their usual slumber.
- Lack of Response to High-Pitched Sounds: They might not hear or react to high-pitched sounds like doorbells or whistles.
I’ve had a few people write in lately about hunting/fireworks dogs or who have experienced sudden hearing loss, and I would like to explain what causes this hearing loss and what the possible outcomes are. This is called noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). I will also discuss normal hearing loss in dogs.
Too Loud, Too Close, and Too Fast
Ears have mechanisms that reduce the noise coming into the ear to protect the inner ear when very loud noises occur. However, gunfire or explosives cause the noise to occur too rapidly for the ear to react. Shotguns and rifles produce an intensity of sound that exceeds 140 decibels. Normal conversation is at about 60 decibels, and music played loudly is at about 100 decibels.
The distance from the sound (the gun) to the dog should exceed 30 meters. Loud sounds can damage (rupture or break) the ear drum (tympanic membrane) or can damage the bones of the inner ear or the hair cells that line the inner ear and transmit the noise to the brain. Loud noises can also induce a very loud tinnitus (ringing in the ears), which can subside somewhat over time.
Preventing Hearing Loss in Pets
Distance from the sound is the most important factor in preventing damage to your pet’s ear. Some of this noise can be slightly reduced by placing cotton balls or specially designed ear plugs or ear muffs into or around your dog’s ears. Just make sure your dog doesn’t have an ear infection, and don’t forget to take them out at the end of the day!
How Long Will My Dog Be Deaf?
Although it is impossible to predict, due to the variability of the possible damage done, the first 48 hours to 1 week tend to be the most important time to observe changes.
One veterinary internal medicine specialist said: “Sound levels above 120-140 dB can cause acute hearing loss. Shotguns average about 150 dB, which is why people wear hearing protection at gun ranges. Noise-induced hearing loss will sometimes improve or resolve over 1-2 weeks, which is the case in a lot of cases I’ve seen. But it can also be permanent.”
Another specialist who studies hearing said, “Conductive deafness, caused by outer or middle ear obstruction, may be corrected, whereas sensorineural deafness cannot. Other common forms of sensorineural deafness include ototoxicity(using medications that are not veterinary approved), noise-induced hearing loss, otitis interna, and anesthesia.”
A veterinary neurologist’s opinion was: “With acute noise trauma, temporary loss tends to improve within a few days to a week or so.”
What do I do if my dog is permanently deaf?
There are many sources to understand how you can help your dog live without hearing or with diminished hearing. Here are a couple of good links:
Conclusion
I have had many deaf patients over the years. All of them lead productive, satisfying lives when their owners go the extra mile to figure out how to train them and make them feel safe. One of my good friends has had a completely deaf dog for 8 years now, and the dog goes hiking, swimming, and climbing with her. For more information on hearing loss in pets, book an appointment.
