Dog Hearing Loss: 9 Signs Your Dog May Be Losing Their Hearing
Key takeaways:
Hearing loss is a common condition in older dogs and certain breeds. It often happens gradually.
Symptoms of hearing loss in dogs include not responding when called, head tilting, and difficulty waking up.
The treatment for hearing loss in dogs depends on the cause. For example, if the deafness is brought on by an ear infection, medication for ear infections should clear it up. However, deafness brought on by aging isn’t treatable.
Hearing loss is a common condition in dogs, especially older ones. It often happens gradually. A dog may stop reacting to noises like they used to and then stop responding to their name, for example. Or sounds that used to bother them, like the doorbell ringing, may not bother them anymore.
While your pet can’t tell you they’re going deaf, they can often show you by exhibiting the telltale signs.
Signs of hearing loss and deafness in dogs
Here are nine signs your dog may be losing their hearing.
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1. Not responding to sounds
If your pup is having trouble hearing, they may stop barking at familiar sounds, like an alarm going off or the vacuum cleaner turning on.
2. Not responding to their name
Your pet may no longer turn their head or come to you when you call their name.
3. Unusual behavior
Your furry friend may become hyperactive or less active than usual. And they may jump or act startled when you walk up from behind, because they didn’t hear you coming.
4. Confusion
Your dog may seem confused when you talk to them. This might look like they’re ignoring you or not obeying your commands.
5. Lack of ear movement
Dog ears move in response to sound, in order to better hear it. If they’re going deaf, you may see them move their ears less often or not at all.
6. Changes in sleep
Things that would normally wake up your pooch, like the sound of your voice or the garage door opening, may no longer rouse them.
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7. Head tilting and circling
If you notice your dog tilting their head to one side or circling their head and acting clumsy, they may have otitis interna, inflammation of the inner ear. This condition can lead to hearing loss.
8. Responding less to high-frequency sounds
Your dog may gradually stop reacting to high-frequency sounds like thunderclaps or screaming fireworks.
9. Barking excessively or less frequently
Hearing loss may cause your dog to bark more often out of fear or frustration. They might even bark louder because they can’t hear themselves.
Or your dog may bark less often, because they no longer hear things that would normally make them speak up.
What causes hearing loss in dogs?
There are several things that can cause hearing loss in dogs. Most often, deafness happens gradually, but sometimes it can occur suddenly because of an injury from a loud noise or a toxic medication.
Some of the more common causes of hearing loss in dogs are:
Aging (presbycusis)
Ear infections
Genetics factors in certain breeds
Medications with toxic side effects
Noise trauma
Certain cancers
Blockages from a tumor or inflammation
What age do dogs typically lose their hearing?
Dog’s typically begin to lose their hearing during the last third of their breed’s lifespan. They may even go completely deaf if they live long enough. Ask your vet about your pet’s life expectancy and if their hearing loss is a normal part of aging.
How is hearing loss diagnosed in dogs?
There are several ways a vet can check your dog for hearing loss. Below, we describe a few of them.
Physical exam
During the exam, your vet will look in your dog’s ear canals with a special instrument called an otoscope. An otoscope can help your vet detect ear infections, inflammation, and blockages. This is a painless procedure that can be done in your vet’s office.
Imaging
Your vet may order X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI to get a more in-depth look at your pup’s ear canals.
Electronic testing
Your vet may want to do a brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAER) test on your dog. This test involves ear plugs that make a clicking sound. They are inserted into your dog’s ear. And small needles under the skin record nerve and brain responses to the sounds. The procedure takes about 10 to 15 minutes and is not uncomfortable for most dogs.
How to test for hearing loss in dogs at home
At-home testing for dog hearing loss engages your powers of observation.
Here’s how to test your dog for hearing loss at home. During each of these three tests, see if your dog reacts to the sounds you make:
Start by making sounds your dog normally encounters by clapping your hands, dropping your keys on a hard surface, or ringing your doorbell.
Make sounds when your pet is awake and asleep. See if they turn their head toward the noise, twitch their ears, or awaken from sleep.
Make noises in the room your pet is in and from other rooms. See if they respond when you’re close by, at a distance, or not at all.
What treatment options are available for hearing loss in dogs?
Unfortunately, not all deafness can be treated or reversed. The best thing to do is talk to your vet about your dog’s options. And just know that most dogs adjust well to hearing loss.
Whether or not there’s treatment for hearing loss in dogs depends on the cause:
For blockages: Your vet may be able to surgically remove an obstruction in the ear canal and help restore your dog’s hearing.
For ear infections: Antibiotics or antifungal medications (depending on the cause of infection) should clear up an ear infection and possibly restore hearing loss.
For medication toxins or noise traumas: There’s typically no treatment for hearing loss related to these causes. So your pup is unlikely to recover their hearing in either of these cases.
For hereditary factors: Currently, there’s no treatment for inherited deafness.
For cancer: Ear cancers can be treated with surgery and radiation, but the hearing loss is usually permanent.
The bottom line
Dogs often lose their hearing gradually, making it harder for you to tell when it’s happening. But paying close attention to your dog’s behavior can give you a clue. Not responding to their name or loud noises, or looking confused when you talk to them, could be a sign that they’re going deaf.
You may want to test your dog at home by checking for a response when you clap your hands or turn on the vacuum cleaner. But you should also talk to your vet. They can run some tests to determine the root cause of your pup’s hearing loss.
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References
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Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center. (n.d). Brainstem auditory evoked response testing.
Oishi, N., et al. (2012). Ototoxicity in dogs and cats. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice.
Savel, S., et al. (2020). Are dogs with congenital hearing and/or vision impairments so different from sensory normal dogs? A survey of demographics, morphology, health, behaviour, communication, and activities. PLoS One.
Strain, G. M. (2003). Hereditary deafness in dogs and cats: Causes, prevalence, and current research. Veterinary Information Network.
Strain, G. M. (2006). Causes of sudden onset of deafness. Louisiana State University.
Strain, G. M. (2022). Deafness in dogs. Merck Manual Veterinary Manual.
University of Florida Small Animal Hospital. (n.d). What to expect: BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response) testing.
Woodward, M. (2022). Otitis media and interna in animals. Merck Manual Veterinary Manual.
