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Gender effects in hearing loss in Dalmatians
T R Famula1, A M Oberbauer, D C Williams
1Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. trfamula@ucdavis.edu
Preventive Veterinary Medicine
|January 11, 2001
Summary
Female Dalmatians are more prone to deafness and blue eyes than males. However, parental hearing status did not influence offspring deafness, and hearing loss prevalence has not decreased in recent years.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Genetics
- Auditory Science
Background:
- Dalmatian dogs exhibit a high prevalence of deafness.
- Blue eyes in Dalmatians are associated with an increased risk of hearing impairment.
- The influence of gender and parental hearing status on deafness in Dalmatians requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of gender in Dalmatian hearing loss.
- To determine if maternal or paternal hearing impairment increases offspring deafness risk.
- To assess trends in Dalmatian deafness prevalence over time.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Brainstem Auditory-Evoked Response (BAER) data from 3101 Dalmatians (1984-1998).
- Inclusion of data on eye color and presence of a birth color-patch.
- Application of a multiple-trait threshold-model analysis.
Main Results:
- Female Dalmatians were significantly more likely to be deaf than males.
- Females also showed a higher prevalence of blue eyes, a known risk factor for deafness.
- No significant difference in hearing loss prevalence was found between offspring of deaf mothers versus deaf fathers.
- No detectable decrease in hearing loss prevalence was observed over the study period.
Conclusions:
- Gender is a direct factor in Dalmatian hearing loss, with females being more susceptible.
- Parental hearing status does not appear to be a significant predictor of offspring deafness.
- Current breeding practices may not be effectively selecting against hearing problems in Dalmatians.