Disease overview

Non-syndromic hearing loss is a hereditary condition that results in profound hearing loss and deafness.

Gene name

LOXHD1

Inheritance

Autosomal recessive

Signs and symptoms

Clinical signs related to hearing impairment typically present in puppies. These may include a failure to respond to sounds, difficulty to rouse from sleep, or excessive barking.

How is it diagnosed

A veterinarian will conduct a thorough exam, including a review of health history and any clinical signs. Laboratory tests and/or a neurological exam may be conducted. Genetic testing is necessary to determine if there is an underlying genetic cause, which can assist veterinarians with diagnosis and help breeders identify affected and carrier dogs.

Breeds at higher risk

Citations

Hytönen MK, Niskanen JE, Arumilli M, Brookhart-Knox CA, Donner J, Lohi H. Missense variant in LOXHD1 is associated with canine nonsyndromic hearing loss. Hum Genet. 2021 Nov;140(11):1611-1618. doi: 10.1007/s00439-021-02286-z. Epub 2021 May 13. PMID: 33983508; PMCID: PMC8521602.

Disclaimer

Disease diagnosis and treatment should always be performed by a veterinarian. The following information is for educational purposes only.