Ear Protection for Hunting Dogs - Prevent deafness in later life

B

butchcassidy5

New User
Joined
20 November 2013
Messages
3
Location
Scotland
Visit site
Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong section.

My last dog was totally deaf by 11 and this has been attributed to the years and years I took her out hunting with me. To me there currently appears to be no solution to this (have tried mutt muffs and they are useless) so I am currently working on a prototype of dog 'ear muffs' for my newest Cocker Spaniel so she won't suffer the same fate as my last dog!

I'm guessing that if I need them then there must been some other dog owners out there who worry about the damage hunting is doing to their dogs' hearing so I'm willing to make a few more but I'll limit it to the first five people. If you are interested then PM me and I'll give you some more details.

Thanks,
Jack
 
Who says hunting causes a dog to go prematurely deaf?

Spaniels are prone to occupational deafness in that they prefer to hunt rather than come to call so they often PRETEND to be deaf!

I've been around hunting dogs of various types and breeds all my life and this is a new one on me.
 
butchcassidy5 said:
There have been studies into the subject http://www.msstate.edu/web/media/detail.php?id=1812
Click to expand...

I suggest you read that "study" again very carefully. They were going to try to test 40 dogs but apparently couldn't find that many! From the article, it seems they reached their conclusions on the basis of one dog!

We are getting fed more and more of this sort of "research" these days and it is mostly nonsense. Even if they could get their 40 dogs, that is still not a scientifically significant representative sample.
 
Dry Rot said:
Spaniels are prone to occupational deafness in that they prefer to hunt rather than come to call so they often PRETEND to be deaf!
Click to expand...


Ah no, it's a well known spaniel condition - Sudden Onset Deafness in Spaniels, or SODS.

You get your slightly head of hearing ones - Little SODS.

Then you get your 'over the horizon and still accelerating' ones - Big SODS.

It's closely linked to 'ruptured throat syndrome', seen in many a hollering spaniel-owner...

;)
 
I know dogs who have had fireworks explode next to them, have heard bombs going off, have been shot over and next to, have had football crowds and rioters shouting at them, have ridden in planes and helicopters.......

.........but can still hear a packet of sausages being opened at 100 paces.
 
I don't have scientific proof as I'm not a vet but it is irrefutable that noise trauma from shooting does damage to a dogs hearing as it does ours, hence why we wear ear muffs.
There are always exceptions and I'm sure there are plenty of dogs who have hunted all of their days and have never had a problem with hearing but there are also smokers who live past 100, there are always exceptions.

http://www.lsu.edu/deafness/Sudden.htm Take a look at the paragraph on noise trauma
 
Spudlet said:
Ah no, it's a well known spaniel condition - Sudden Onset Deafness in Spaniels, or SODS.

You get your slightly head of hearing ones - Little SODS.

Then you get your 'over the horizon and still accelerating' ones - Big SODS.

It's closely linked to 'ruptured throat syndrome', seen in many a hollering spaniel-owner...

;)
Click to expand...

Owning 4 working ESS (ranging from 4 years to 12 years old), I loved this - it really is so true. We also have a laser spotted lurcher spaniel ......... As soon as beaters day comes about and you have a gun in your hand, she is off in hot pursuit of game to bring back to you to save you the money you would have spent on several cartridges !!! She has the softest mouth thankfully and never damages game just holds it until you take it from her ;-)
 
Spudlet said:
Ah no, it's a well known spaniel condition - Sudden Onset Deafness in Spaniels, or SODS.

You get your slightly head of hearing ones - Little SODS.

Then you get your 'over the horizon and still accelerating' ones - Big SODS.

It's closely linked to 'ruptured throat syndrome', seen in many a hollering spaniel-owner...

;)
Click to expand...

CaveCanem said:
I know dogs who have had fireworks explode next to them, have heard bombs going off, have been shot over and next to, have had football crowds and rioters shouting at them, have ridden in planes and helicopters.......

.........but can still hear a packet of sausages being opened at 100 paces.
Click to expand...

Too Good!!!

They have built in defenders, they are called ears!
 
Spudlet said:
Ah no, it's a well known spaniel condition - Sudden Onset Deafness in Spaniels, or SODS.

You get your slightly head of hearing ones - Little SODS.

Then you get your 'over the horizon and still accelerating' ones - Big SODS.

It's closely linked to 'ruptured throat syndrome', seen in many a hollering spaniel-owner...

;)
Click to expand...

That's more like it! Seen a few of those!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top