The Kennel Club will now be recording BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) test results for all breeds and publishing the results on the Health Test Results Finder.
They have produced a new standard reporting form to help the testing centres with the process of sending BAER test results for litters to the Kennel Club more efficiently. Therefore, we strongly encourage dog owners and breeders to bring this form to their testing centre.
To ensure that the KC are able to record results:
· Dogs must be registered and microchipped
· The form must be completed by the vet practice, signed by a vet/nurse and with a veterinary practice stamp
· Forms, which can be submitted by post or email, must be clear and legible – results will not be recorded if they cannot be read
BAER Programme
The BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) test is used to evaluate the hearing of a dog by detecting the electrical activity of the brain in response to an auditory stimulus (usually clicks), which is recorded and displayed on a computer screen. The test is a reliable method for determining whether a dog is deaf and for measuring the extent of its hearing loss. However, the test does not measure the full range of canine hearing, only hearing in the normal human range (some dogs will test as ‘deaf’ but can still hear very high pitched noises).
Test Results
Affected – Bilateral: the individual is completely deaf in both ears
Affected – Unilateral: the individual is completely deaf in one ear and able to hear normally in the other
Unaffected: the individual has normal hearing in both ears
When should your dog be BAER tested?
The best age to test a litter is around 5.5 to 6.5 weeks of age (ear canals don’t open until puppies are about 2 weeks old). The test can be carried out at any age after this, including on adult dogs; however, many breeders wish to know the hearing status of their pups before they go to their new homes. Also, at this age, puppies have an active period followed by a period of sleep, which is the perfect time to carry out the test.
For more information, please click this link http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/579531/baer_test_programme.pdf
They have produced a new standard reporting form to help the testing centres with the process of sending BAER test results for litters to the Kennel Club more efficiently. Therefore, we strongly encourage dog owners and breeders to bring this form to their testing centre.
To ensure that the KC are able to record results:
· Dogs must be registered and microchipped
· The form must be completed by the vet practice, signed by a vet/nurse and with a veterinary practice stamp
· Forms, which can be submitted by post or email, must be clear and legible – results will not be recorded if they cannot be read
BAER Programme
The BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) test is used to evaluate the hearing of a dog by detecting the electrical activity of the brain in response to an auditory stimulus (usually clicks), which is recorded and displayed on a computer screen. The test is a reliable method for determining whether a dog is deaf and for measuring the extent of its hearing loss. However, the test does not measure the full range of canine hearing, only hearing in the normal human range (some dogs will test as ‘deaf’ but can still hear very high pitched noises).
Test Results
Affected – Bilateral: the individual is completely deaf in both ears
Affected – Unilateral: the individual is completely deaf in one ear and able to hear normally in the other
Unaffected: the individual has normal hearing in both ears
When should your dog be BAER tested?
The best age to test a litter is around 5.5 to 6.5 weeks of age (ear canals don’t open until puppies are about 2 weeks old). The test can be carried out at any age after this, including on adult dogs; however, many breeders wish to know the hearing status of their pups before they go to their new homes. Also, at this age, puppies have an active period followed by a period of sleep, which is the perfect time to carry out the test.
For more information, please click this link http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/579531/baer_test_programme.pdf
