Early Adult Onset Deafness (EAOD) is an inherited deafness that strikes Border Collies in their prime (3-7 yrs). Dogs begin life with normal hearing, and go deaf in adulthood. Research attempting to isolate the gene(s) that cause this condition has been ongoing, and a preliminary DNA test is now available through projectDOG!
Contained within the short sequence of DNA that causes EAOD are five mutations close to one another. Each could conceivably alter gene function and produce deafness. It is probable that only one of these mutations is the true cause of EAOD. The current preliminary test