Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Deafness in Australian Cattle Dogs linked to coat and sex traits
By Sommerlad, Susan F et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2012·School of Veterinary Science, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of congenital hereditary sensorineural deafness in Australian Cattle Dogs and associations with coat characteristics and sex.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that about 10.8% of Australian Cattle Dogs have congenital hereditary sensorineural deafness (CHSD), which means they may not hear well or at all. The research showed that this condition is more common in females and in dogs without certain facial markings or pigmented spots on their bodies. Testing involved 899 dogs, and results indicated that those with facial masks were less likely to be deaf. Understanding these traits can help breeders and owners be more aware of the risks of deafness in this breed.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Congenital hereditary sensorineural deafness (CHSD) occurs in many dog breeds, including Australian Cattle Dogs. In some breeds, CHSD is associated with a lack of cochlear melanocytes in the stria vascularis, certain coat characteristics, and potentially, abnormalities in neuroepithelial pigment production. This study investigates phenotypic markers for CHSD in 899 Australian Cattle Dogs. RESULTS: Auditory function was tested in 899 Australian Cattle Dogs in family groups using brainstem auditory evoked response testing. Coat colour and patterns, facial and body markings, gender and parental hearing status were recorded.Deafness prevalence among all 899 dogs was 10.8% with 7.5% unilaterally deaf, and 3.3% bilaterally deaf, and amongst pups from completely tested litters (n = 696) was 11.1%, with 7.5% unilaterally deaf, and 3.6% bilaterally deaf.Univariable and multivariable analyses revealed a negative association between deafness and bilateral facial masks (odds ratio 0.2; P ≤ 0.001). Using multivariable logistic animal modelling, the risk of deafness was lower in dogs with pigmented body spots (odds ratio 0.4; P = 0.050).No significant associations were found between deafness and coat colour.Within unilaterally deaf dogs with unilateral facial masks, no association was observed between the side of deafness and side of mask. The side of unilateral deafness was not significantly clustered amongst unilaterally deaf dogs from the same litter. Females were at increased risk of deafness (odds ratio from a logistic animal model 1.9; P = 0.034) after adjusting for any confounding by mask type and pigmented body spots. CONCLUSIONS: Australian Cattle Dogs suffer from CHSD, and this disease is more common in dogs with mask-free faces, and in those without pigmented body patches. In unilaterally deaf dogs with unilateral masks, the lack of observed association between side of deafness and side of mask suggests that if CHSD is due to defects in molecular pigment pathways, the molecular control of embryonic melanoblast migration from ectoderm to skin differs from control of migration from ectoderm to cochlea. In Australian Cattle Dogs, CHSD may be more common in females.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23107143/