What's making you happy today?

[Undertoad]

Pearl is already overexposed. But anyway.

These shots are one second before, one second after. What I did between was to call her name. "Pearl!"

She doesn't want to be interrupted, basking in the sun as she does. But on hearing her name, she opens her eyes and twists her left ear 90 degrees.

That means she heard her name, which is the amazing part. Pearl has been deaf for the last few months. She never heard her name or any whistles or commands. But now, for some reason, there she is, hearing!

My dog's hearing has returned, seemingly gone from 100% deaf to only 90% overnight. That makes me happy because it is a calming influence on her. Her behavior changed when she went deaf; she wants to keep an eye on me and follow me around, but when deaf she couldn't always identify changes in her surroundings. It would alarm her.

I took her for a vet visit a month ago to address her hearing loss, and they pretty much said, she seems otherwise normal, and there's nothing blocking her ears, so... well, geriatric dogs go deaf all the time. (Pearl's vet is the best in the area.)

But do dogs go un-deaf?

[glatt]

That's cool!

[DanaC]

Dante was deaf pretty much for the last two or three years of his life. But in that time, there were periods when his hearing seemed a little returned. I think it is a little like with humans, in that it's often a matter of being unable to pick out specific sounds and tones , rather than a complete loss of all sound.

She may have some small amount of hearing still there, but that is then affected by intime stuff (ear infections, local noise levels etc, tiredness).


[eta] lovely pair of photos Toad. She looks so sweet. An the slight movement of eyes and ears is cute.

[Razzmatazz13]

Yay for Pearl!!

I met a blind and deaf doggy once... she "saw" by hanging her head to the ground so her ears would touch and then swung her head back and forth. She was a sweetheart but I can't imagine what it'd be like as an owner to watch your dog go through that.

[DanaC]

It has its funny moments, having a deaf dog. Like when you're running across a playing field waving your arms about like a complete knob, intermittently clapping your hands together (the sharp sound sometimes got through) as the dog completely ignores you and continues following the wrong person home ;P

[Undertoad]

She gets a Greenie bone for her good work hearing.

[DanaC]

Awwwww, look at her. How much is she enjoying that bone?


[eta] I've seen those toothbrush bone thingies in the pet store. Was always a bit edgy about them possibly upsetting his tum.

[Undertoad]

I've given her one a day for years, never had a problem. All the dog people around here seem to feel that Greenies are good and very digestible.

I do think they help her teeth. She still has them all. She has some tartar buildup on her back teeth, but the vet won't clean them, because she can't go under sedation due to her heart condition.

[Gravdigr]

A guy I used to work with had a Dalmation. He said for two years he thought she was the stupidest dog that ever lived. Then he figured out she was stone deaf.

I guess we know who was stupid, now.

[Undertoad]

Yeah that's a major thing with Dalmations. Only 70% of Dals have normal hearing and the breed organization says deaf puppies should be put down.

It seems like some breeds should not really be bred. English Bulldogs are totally awesome, but they have major health issues as they get older and they don't live very long. Great Danes only live 6-8 years. It's very sad.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Yeah that's a major thing with Dalmations. Only 70% of Dals have normal hearing

It comes from sitting too close to the siren.

[Aliantha]

She might have felt the vibration of your voice if you were standing on the same patch of concrete UT. Specially since she was lying flat out on it.

[Undertoad]

Oh, no that's a carpet remnant, on top of tall grass in an exercise pen in the backyard.

[Aliantha]

Ah well, maybe not the vibration then.

[DanaC]

Does she hear if you clap your hands?