Boston Terrier Hearing

by Colleen Fernandez

in Health Problems

Boston Terriers have the cutest little ears ever. However, they can be prone to sensorineural deafness- which is a type of hearing loss that starts in the vestibulocochlear nerve, the inner ear, or central processing centers of the brain. If you’re planning on adopting a Boston Terrier puppy, you should make sure your puppy has been BAER tested, so you can find out the status of the dog’s hearing. If the puppy is only deaf in one ear, the test will not show any defect. The puppy will make a great family pet; however, if your puppy is deaf in one ear, she should not be bred. Boston Terriers that have white on 1/3 of their body or more should not be bred either. These dogs make great pets, but they have a higher risk of producing deaf puppies. Four to six percent of Boston Terrier puppies are deaf in one ear. If the Boston is deaf in both ears, they are considered "special needs" puppies, and they require special training. Remember, make sure that the breeder has had all his/her puppies BAER tested. You should ask to see the test results of both the puppies and parents. You only need to give your Boston the BAER test once over her entire life. You should always test the dog before it’s bred (if it has not been previously tested) and all puppies should be tested before they go to their new homes. Testing can be done as early as 7 weeks and your dog does not need to be anesthetized for this testing. You can hold the dog on your lap  For more information about BAER testing centers, visit the BAER Site.

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