Unilateral Deafness and Vestibular Syndrome

Affected puppies exhibit signs of vestibular disease, such as mild head tilt and poor balance; these signs can often progress with age. With unilateral disease, signs of deafness may not be easily observed. Signs of hearing loss can include not responding to sounds like clapping, knocking, doorbells, or the vacuum, appearing to be non-obedient by not responding to verbal commands or their name, barking excessively, and difficulty waking.

Early-onset vestibular dysfunction becomes apparent as the puppy first begins to move about.

Veterinarians can diagnose hearing disorders by using brainstem auditory-evoked response (BAER) testing to confirm unilateral or bilateral deafness. Genetic testing and clinical signs can also be used to help diagnose this disease.

There are no widespread treatments. Management is aimed at lifestyle changes, training, and reducing the risk of injury.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s unilateral deafness and vestibular syndrome result so you can plan appropriate monitoring and care.

Teach your dog visual or hand signal commands to make communication easier and more consistent.

Approach your dog gently from the side where hearing is reduced to avoid startling them, and use light touches or visual cues to get their attention.

If your dog shows balance issues, provide non-slip mats and help them move slowly and safely around the home.

This variant was identified in one affected Doberman puppy exhibiting unilateral deafness and vestibular signs.

Penetrance: This variant is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning a dog must have two copies of the variant to be affected by it.

Gene

PTPRQ Exon 39

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Other Systems

Citations

1. Guevar et al 2018

• Doberman Pinscher