WAFDAL

White Coat Colour and Deafness.

by DR. BRUCE M CATTANACH
MRC Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell,
Oxfordshire OX11 0JJ, UK

Jour. Small Anim. Pract. 40: 193-200, 1999

The Dalmatian, despite the presence of its pigmented spots, is basically a white dog and, as a breed, is widely reported to have a notably high risk of deafness (Table 1). Although the association of deafness with white coat colour has long been recognised, veterinary researchers have been perplexed by the inheritance of the deafness component.  Thus, it has evident to all that hearing dogs when mated together can produce deaf pups, but it has also been found that deaf dogs mated together can produce hearing pups.Variable sex differences in incidence of deafness have also been reported. As a consequence recessive, dominant, multi-factorial and even sex-linked inheritances have been postulated (see Greibrokk 1994; Anderson et al 1968).

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