Early Adult Onset Deafness in Border Collies

Early Adult Onset Deafness (Border Collie type) is a condition characterised by a gradual deterioration of hearing in adult Border Collies. Hearing loss or impairment occurs at around 3-5 years of age and is manifested by a reduced distance at which the individual responds to acoustic stimuli. The condition is particularly problematic in Border Collies as the breed is often bred as a working herding dog, which benefits from excellent hearing. To date, no mutation has been found to cause the disease. Only SNP markers have been discovered to identify individuals at risk of transmission or at risk of hearing loss. The test is an indirect linkage test and 4 markers are tested in association with the risk haplotype.

The test can be used to identify individuals without risk. For dogs at risk, it is not possible to say exactly how many of them will actually be carriers. Among those at risk, it is not possible to say exactly how many will develop hearing loss.

Please note that it can take up to 2-3 weeks for the results to be ready.