What is BAER testing and why is it necessary for the Dalmatian Breed.
Defining BAER
BAER testing (brainstem auditory evoked response) is a form of testing utilized for evaluating external, middle, and inner ear canal components for hearing capabilities in domestic animals - for us this means testing for our dogs and puppies and their hearing capabilities.
Specifics - BAER Testing for your Dalmatian Puppy
The BAER test is an electro-diagnostic test that uses information from the cranial nerves, ear cavities, and specific areas of the brainstem to determine whether a dog has bilateral normal, unilateral (left or right), or bilateral deaf hearing.
Types of BAER hearing by Classification
1. What is Bilateral normal hearing?
Bilateral normal hearing means that the dog or puppy has normal hearing capabilities in both ears.
2. What is Unilateral hearing?
-Unilateral hearing means that the dog or puppy has normal hearing in one ear and is deaf in the other ear.
3. What is Bilateral deaf hearing?
- Bilateral deaf hearing means that the dog or puppy is completely deaf in both ears.
How does deafness affect the Dalmatian breed?
Deafness in Dalmatians (and other breeds) naturally occurs, there is nothing a breeder can do to preemptively determine whether or not a bilateral normal (full hearing) pair will produce unilateral deaf or bilateral deaf puppies.
A bilateral normal pair can produce all bilateral normal, unilateral deaf, or bilateral deaf, or a variation of each. Roughly up to 30% of a litter can be partially or fully deaf.
The prevalence of deafness in Dalmatians is why BAER testing is necessary. Deaf Dalmatians and Unilaterals are not any less worth having than Bilateral Normal Dalmatians it is just important for the breeder to know if deafness is occurring in their lines and even more important for buyers to know whether they are getting a bilateral normal, unilateral, or deaf puppy. Along with ensuring that a puppy that is bilateral deaf is placed in an appropriate home.
Fun fact - deaf Dalmatians are sought after for their abilities in the ring. They are often more successful than their bilateral normal competition because they are not easily distracted! There are families who are only interested in deaf Dalmatians.
Unilateral Dalmatians are the medium between the two, however they often make up for lack of hearing in the one ear with heightened other senses and even better hearing in their other ear. While it is often unnoticeable, it is still important to be transparent with potential homes regarding hearing status - the only way to do this is through BAER Testing for your Dalmatian Puppy.
There are several genes that cause unilateral or bilateral deafness and there is not yet a test that is capable of determining the source in order to breed it out. We'll talk more about deafness in Dalmatians, history, and science in another post.
In the meantime - BAER testing from a licensed professional is the way to go!
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