Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Middle ear disease associated with congenital palatine defects in seven dogs and one cat.
- Journal:
- The Journal of small animal practice
- Year:
- 2000
- Authors:
- Gregory, S P
- Affiliation:
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery
Plain-English summary
In a study of eight dogs and one cat with congenital palatine defects (birth defects in the roof of the mouth), researchers looked at their medical records to understand any related health issues. Five of the dogs had nasal discharge, and seven showed signs of middle ear disease on X-rays, but none showed any obvious signs of ear problems, and their owners didn't report any issues over a follow-up period of one to five years. One dog did have a hearing impairment in one ear that was detected through a specific hearing test. The cat, however, did show both clinical signs and X-ray evidence of middle ear disease. These findings suggest that, similar to humans, these birth defects in pets may make them more likely to develop middle ear issues, which could be a concern for working dogs if they experience hearing loss.
Abstract
Medical records of eight dogs and one cat with congenital palatine defects were reviewed retrospectively. Five of the dogs had nasal discharge and seven had radiographic signs of middle ear disease, but no clinical signs of ear disease were identified in any of the dogs, nor were any reported by their owners during a one- to five-year follow-up period. One dog had an ipsilateral impairment of hearing detected by brainstem auditory evoked responses. The cat had clinical and radiographic signs of middle ear disease. These findings suggest that, as in humans, congenital palatine defects in dogs and cats may predispose to middle ear disease. Any associated deafness could cause problems for working dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11023125/