Congenital deafness and its recognition.

Congenital deafness in dogs and cats is primarily of the hereditary sensorineural form associated with white pigmentation genes, although acquired forms of deafness are possible. Highest prevalence is seen in white cats, especially those with blue eyes, and the Dalmatian, with many other dog breeds affected to some extent. This deafness results from degeneration of the cochlear blood supply at age 3-4 weeks, presumably resulting from suppression of melanocytes by the white (cat) or merle or piebald (dog) genes. Mechanism of inheritance is not understood for most breeds. Such animals should not be bred and may present liabilities for their owners. Objective diagnosis of deafness, especially when unilateral, relies on the brainstem auditory evoked response, an electrodiagnostic test where electrical activity in response to a click stimulus is recorded from the scalp using needle electrodes and a special purpose computer. Client counseling guidelines are presented.