BAER Testing

This will be a big day for the puppies, as they will be BAER tested. BAER stands for Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response. I've added a link that explains it better than I can. Although it is not hard to identify deaf pups, and a breeder can learn to identify unilateral hearing pups (those that hear in only one ear) most responsible breeders have their litters BAER tested, to at least confirm their own results. Because there are a limited number of test sites, this can be an expensive and time consuming thing for breeders in some areas. There are several people in our breed who have portable BAER testing equipment which has made testing a lot easier and more accessible to many. Prices range from $25.00 to well over $100.00 per dog, so this can be an expensive thing to do.

Dalmatians are a generally healthy breed, but their basic problems are quite well known, deafness being one of them. Deafness in Dalmatians is related to their color, and the white coat with or without patches, is the culprit. Although various organizations, including the Dalmatian Club of America have spent enormous sums of money on researching deafness, it is still with us. Historically about 10% of the breed has been deaf. However deafness can be reduced by BAER testing all breeding stock, and using test results as well as a dog's hearing statistics (what he/she has previously produced) when planning a litter. Although there has always been controversy surrounding this issue, most responsible breeders choose to euthanize deaf pups. It takes a special and very committed home to raise a deaf dog, and although there are many stories of wonderful deaf dogs, there are also many more stories of deaf dogs who did not work out. It's an individual decision for a breeder, although the Dalmatian Club of America suggests that deaf puppies be euthanized rather than placed. Another 20% of the breed may have unilateral hearing, being deaf in one ear but normal in the other. Unis make perfectly good companions, have been successful in performance events and are even shown if the breeder considers them to be exceptional specimens. Although unilateral hearing dogs are more likely to produce deaf puppies, breeders sometimes make the decision to breed from a uni dog, knowing the risks involved and using exceptional care in selecting a mate.

I'm sure Tom will take some pictures of the puppies being tested, so watch his blog
for details.