Who should be tested?

  • Adult dogs and cats with suspected hearing loss (difficult to wake, change in attentiveness or obedience, louder barking or meowing than usual, unresponsive to his/her name, less active, less or no response to noises in their environment)
  • Litters of puppies that are at least 35 days old and breeds that may be high risk for congenital deafness (Dalmatians, English setters, English cocker spaniels, Australian cattle dogs, and Jack Russell terriers)
  • Litters of kittens that are at least 35 days old and breeds that may be high risk for congenital deafness (white Persians, white Scottish folds, Ragdolls, white cornish rex and Devon rex, white oriental shorthair, white Turkish angora, white Maine Coone, and white Manx)
  • Puppies or kittens with white fur and blue eyes, piebald or merle colorations may also be at higher risk for congenital deafness