Deafness in dogs

Deafness is fairly common in older dogs unfortunately.   If your dog doesn’t respond as before or appears to be ignoring you, ask the vet to check the ears.   It could be as a result of an ear infection, which will need prompt attention.   This is something that will get worse and can become a real problem if neglected.   An accident may cause deafness also.  Eliminating the cause is the first thing to do.  We clean the outer part of the ear with a bit of olive oil on a piece of cotton wool or cloth.  Never poke down the ear though.   The vet may give you a special ear cleaning solution and then drops to put in.  These usually work well.  There are some conditions that are more resistant and treating your dog holistically is a big help.   Dorwest Herbs have a special remedy (you can get from us either online or at the sanctuary) and we’ve had very good results, especially when combined with an organic cleansing diet.

White dogs with blue eyes are often completely deaf from birth.   These dogs should be neutered or spayed to prevent them breeding or they’ll pass the condition on.    A dog who is deaf will compensate by using his other senses.   We’ve found them to understand sign language very well too.