Nancy Bovee Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 My Gus (1 1/2) is deaf in one ear and has loss of hearing in the other ear. It may be progressing into total deafness. (I'm hoping not at this point, but prepared for anything). I've read a couple notation that early onset deafness is increasing in border collies, but have no other data or information to confirm. The canine audiologist from UC Davis who tested my dog had not hear od this. Does anyone have any links or info about this? I'm going to try to proceed to train him on sheep and agility using sign language, but Im going to need all the help I can get or garner. Thanks, Nancy & Gus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 My Gus (1 1/2) is deaf in one ear and has loss of hearing in the other ear. It may be progressing into total deafness. (I'm hoping not at this point, but prepared for anything). I've read a couple notation that early onset deafness is increasing in border collies, but have no other data or information to confirm. The canine audiologist from UC Davis who tested my dog had not hear od this. Does anyone have any links or info about this? I'm going to try to proceed to train him on sheep and agility using sign language, but Im going to need all the help I can get or garner. Thanks, Nancy & Gus The neurologist at Tufts thinks it is the same type of early onset hearing loss found in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. I had not heard that it was on the rise. AFAIK there has always been hearing loss lurking in the gene pool. When did you find out your dog has reduced hearing? Was he tested as a pup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy Bovee Posted August 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 The neurologist at Tufts thinks it is the same type of early onset hearing loss found in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. I had not heard that it was on the rise. AFAIK there has always been hearing loss lurking in the gene pool. When did you find out your dog has reduced hearing? Was he tested as a pup? Thanks for the info - sometimes Gus thinks he's a spaniel.... ;-) He (and the whole litter) were not tested as pups. I just figured it out in the last month and it may be because his good ear is going bad. he has compensated quite well and he's using my older dog as a service helper. (I thought it was just ordinary evil collusion). Nancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Nancy, are you aware of this.... I have an urgent request for everyone who has a border collie that hasdeveloped hearing loss in mid life, after having normal hearing at a younger age. Please take a few minutes to do a cheek swab and send it in now. If you have never done a cheek swab on your dog it is about like brushing it's teeth a few strokes. Please read the email following my post! Even if you have sent a swab in the past to other researchers please do this. The dogs of interest are not those who have been deaf since birth, but those who were normal and then lost hearing possibly in the 3-5 year old group. You do not need to have verified through other testing, such as BAER this loss. If you know your dog became hard of hearing early, after being normal as a two or three year old, send for this kit. Even if your dog is now much older it's DNA is still the same. I do not believe they are interested in the 14 year old who when hard of hearing as they all do, but those who showed trouble hearing early. THANKS! Dave Fetterman ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Neff" <mwneff@...> To: "D Fetterman" <d.fetterman2@...> Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 10:01 PM Subject: Re: DNA samples > Dave, > > Please feel free to be completely open about our progress. We've mapped > the causative gene for non-congenital deafness. We now need cheek swab > samples from more affected dogs so that we can localize more precisely > the causal mutation. This information would then be translated into a > DNA test, which could be offered at low cost through the non-profit > diagnostics laboratory here at UC Davis (typical cost for testing is > $40-50). > > Please broadcast widely, and let people know that they can submit > requests for DNA collection kits directly to me (preferably by email, but > feel free to include my phone number as well 530-752-1381). You might > also mention that there is no cost to participate; we provide all the > materials free of charge, and we supply a postage-paid envelope for easy > submission to the laboratory. > > Thanks for your help. > > Mark Neff, PhD > Associate Director > Veterinary Genetics Laboratory > UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Source: Sheepdog-L BTW Dave Fetterman has one that went deaf early and has tried several things for compensating for the hearing loss and has thought about others. He would be a good person to discuss ideas and to get suggestions. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 Any news on how the study is progressing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Billadeau Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Good news will be coming out soon; we're (Dr. Neff and Health & Genetics Committee) waiting for a web based sample collection system to be set-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Coyote Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I have a dumb question. I think I read somewhere that dogs with white stripes on the outisde of their ears are more prone to early onset deafness. Did I make that up or dream it? My Tommy has white stripes down the outside edges of both her ears - she looks like she has horns if you see her from a distance. She certainly doesn't have trouble hearing now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg l Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Greetings Nancy, I can't help you with the early deafness problem because our boy was deaf from birth. I do know for a fact you can train your dog to hand signs. We went to a trainer for some and also made up our own...we also {gasp} use an electronic collar with a vibrate feature. Our dog is off lead 99% of the time..if he is in the hayifeld or in the gully or creek we will vibrate him....he immediately knows to look for us...he also will check up on us every couple of minutes...we rarely use any stimulation other than vibrate...keeping him from the road was one use...My advice would be to start now while your dog can still hear with both voice and hand signals..and consider a vibrate collar....not to shock only to call...and good luck...Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Billadeau Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 This thread is about dogs born hearing that go deaf before they get old, <8 years old. Congenital deafness (born deaf) is a different genetic defect that has some correlation to excessive white on the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Stein Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I have a dumb question. I think I read somewhere that dogs with white stripes on the outisde of their ears are more prone to early onset deafness. Did I make that up or dream it? My Tommy has white stripes down the outside edges of both her ears - she looks like she has horns if you see her from a distance. She certainly doesn't have trouble hearing now. If your dog were going to have any hearing problems related to whiteness on her ears, she would have had them within a month of birth. You don't need to worry about them at her age. The early adult onset deafness has nothing to do with coloration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Coyote Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 If your dog were going to have any hearing problems related to whiteness on her ears, she would have had them within a month of birth. You don't need to worry about them at her age. The early adult onset deafness has nothing to do with coloration. Oh, thanks. That's good to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg l Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 I'm going to try to proceed to train him on sheep and agility using sign language, but Im going to need all the help I can get or garner. Thanks, Nancy & Gus I'm not very computer literate and don't know how to do the box thing....YES I understand the OP was about dogs going deaf after hearing....... .....This thread is about dogs born hearing that go deaf before they get old, <8 years old. Congenital deafness (born deaf) is a different genetic defect that has some correlation to excessive white on the head.......Mark Billadeau BUT I thought the OP was also looking for help/encouragement from people with deaf dogs....and I have a great 2 year old that has always been deaf....and has no white on his ears and is mostly 90% red on his head....I only thought to offer encouragement....excuse me for replying....now I am beginning to see why other posters think this board is mean or hard to get along with...Nancy good luck....bye for a while...Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Stein Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Greg, I believe the comment you quote was addressed to Tommy Coyote's question, not to you. I think everyone thought your post was on topic and helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Billadeau Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Greg, My post was to tommy coyote's question. I wanted to be certain that there was a clear distinction between the two source of deafness being discussed here. Helpful posts are always welcome. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg l Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 My apologies...I misread the intent of your post and kinda took offense...No harm done...I have only been a border collie owner 2 years..and we don't work sheep, so I'm kinda trying to find my way and place here...the border collie is a wonderful breed and having both a rescue and a deaf dog they are real challenges...I won't be so quick to judge next time...Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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