Effects of otitis on hearing in dogs characterised by brainstem auditory evoked response testing

Hearing function was measured in normal dogs and in dogs with otitis using brainstem auditory evoked response testing. Data were obtained from 86 normal ears and from 105 ears with otitis, cntegorised into four degrees of severity. The data were analysed to illustrate the differences between the hea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of small animal practice 1997-09, Vol.38 (9), p.380-386
Main Authors: Eger, C. E., Lindsay, P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Dog Diseases - physiopathology
Dogs
Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem - physiology
Hearing Loss, Functional - complications
Hearing Loss, Functional - veterinary
Hearing Tests - methods
Hearing Tests - veterinary
Otitis - complications
Otitis - physiopathology
Otitis - veterinary
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Summary:Hearing function was measured in normal dogs and in dogs with otitis using brainstem auditory evoked response testing. Data were obtained from 86 normal ears and from 105 ears with otitis, cntegorised into four degrees of severity. The data were analysed to illustrate the differences between the hearing function in the normal and abnormal ears and to estimate the degree of impairment associated with differing degrees of pathology. While severe hearing loss seemed to be present in the dogs with more severe otitis, only two individuals were identified as being totally deaf in the affected ears and no dogs were identified in which the cleaning and examination processes had caused damage to hearing function. Cleaning the ear canal produced measurable improvements in hearing in several dogs, indicating the profound effect of physical obstruction of the external ear canal by debris. It is concluded that most dogs with chronic otitis externa are not totally deaf and that the hearing impairment that does occur has the characteristics of conductive hearing loss.
ISSN:0022-4510
1748-5827
DOI:10.1111/j.1748-5827.1997.tb03490.x