Deaf Pit Bull Named Farvey Finally Gets a Forever Home
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Pit Bulls have a bad reputation. As a result, they have a harder time finding a forever home than most other dogs. This issue isn’t even necessarily because of the people who are looking to adopt a dog. After all, it isn’t unheard of for someone to take an interest in a Pit Bull before running into either apartment rules that forbid the presence of Pit Bulls on their premises or some other complication. Unsurprisingly, Pit Bulls with further issues have an even harder time finding a forever home than most other dogs. Still, it isn’t impossible for them to do so. For proof, look no further than the example of Farvey, a deaf Pit Bull that was once in the care of the Broome County Humane Society but is now a member of a family of his very own. It seems that he is still facing challenges because of his condition. However, it also seems that his family is prepared to help him through them. As such, this is very much a happy story.
What Are Common Causes of Hearing Loss in Dogs?
Dogs can experience hearing loss because of a wide range of reasons. For instance, some dogs have congenital hearing loss, which means that they have hearing loss at birth. Often-times, this is a hereditary condition. However, congenital hearing loss isn’t guaranteed to be so because there are other things that can bring it about. In any case, the increased chance of cogenital hearing loss as well as other conditions is the reason why the creation of dogs with two copies of the merle gene is discouraged. Moving on, dogs can also experience hearing loss rather than be born with it. One common cause is presbycusis, which shows up in older dogs because it is caused by their exposure to noise throughout their lifetime. Similarly, there are drugs, diseases, and head injuries that can cause a dog to experience hearing loss. Sometimes, this hearing loss is permanent. Other times, this hearing loss is not. Besides these, a lot of dogs also suffer from conductive hearing loss, which is a way of saying that the full sound isn’t reaching the inner ear because of blockage. If there is one good thing that can be said about this, it is that conductive hearing loss should be recoverable so long as the blockage doesn’t lead to something worse. For instance, a blockage can increase the chances of disease as well as infection, particularly if careless rooting around in the dog’s ear results in some kind of injury.
What Are Common Signs of Hearing Loss in Dogs?
Dogs can’t communicate with us in the same way that humans can. As a result, they can’t just tell their dog owners that they are experiencing hearing loss, meaning that the latter will need to figure it out through their observations. Something that is important because realizing that there is a problem is the first step towards getting help for that problem.
One of the most common signs of hearing loss in dogs would be them becoming unresponsive to various sounds. For example, sudden disobedience can be a sign because the dog might be failing to hear a command being given rather than disobeying a command being given. Likewise, a lack of reaction to sounds that should interest the dog under normal circumstances could also be a sign that the dog isn’t hearing them. Another sign that a dog might be suffering hearing loss would be a noticeable increase in them showing the startle reflex. After all, that suggests that they aren’t picking up on occurrences in their surroundings as much as they should be. Other signs include but are not limited to excessive barking, an increase in sleep, and an increase in head movements. Apparently, detecting hearing loss in puppies is more difficult than detecting hearing loss in older dogs. Still, there are tests that might prove useful for this purpose. One example would be watching the puppy while it walks through its environment. If it doesn’t turn its ears towards sounds, that could be a sign that it has already experienced hearing lossing. Another example would be making those sounds in front of the puppy to see if it reacts, whether by using keys, squeaky toys, or some other suitable item.
What Can Dog Owners Do For Dogs Suffering From Hearing Loss?
There is much that can be done to help out a dog suffering hearing loss. First and foremost, dog owners should check in with their veterinarian. This is important for a couple of reasons. One, they need to know exactly what it going on. Two, they need to know what can be done about it. As mentioned earlier, it could be the case that the hearing loss isn’t permanent, meaning that it can be cured. Dog owners shouldn’t try to solve the problem on their own because that could make it worse. To name a common example, if they make a mistake while they are trying to get a blockage out of their dog’s ear, they could either perforate their dog’s eardrum or cause some other injury. Something that will make an even bigger mess of the situation.
If the hearing loss turns out to be permanent, there are still things that can be done to help. In fact, veterinarians tend to be a great source of information on such matters, if only because hearing loss is such a common problem. Dog owners might want to spend some time retraining their dog to respond to non-traditional signals. Hand gestures are a common option. However, there are others that range from the use of a flashlight to the creation of sounds that come with vibrations. Simultaneously, dog owners should also try to be more careful when it comes to the places where their dog spends its time. For instance, a fenced-in yard is necessary because a deaf dog is much more vulnerable to moving cars as well as other potential hazards that they can’t hear, meaning that they can’t be allowed to make their way into spaces where those things are possible. For that matter, people should also try to avoid startling their dog as much as possible because startle reactions are no fun for either them or their canine companions.
