Abstract
The births of domestic dogs with pigment deletion and associated congenital hearing and/or vision impairments are increasing, as a result of mutations of certain genes expressing popular coat colour patterns (Merle, piebald, Irish spotting). The future of these dogs is often pessimistic (early euthanasia or placement in rescues/fosters, lack of interactions and activities for adults). These pessimistic scenarios result from popular assumptions predicting that dogs with congenital hearing/vision impairments exhibit severe Merle-related health troubles (cardiac, skeletal, neurological), impairment-related behavioural troubles (aggressiveness, anxiety), and poor capacities to communicate, to be trained, and to be engaged in leisure or work activities. However, there is no direct scientific testing, and hence no evidence or refutation, of these assumptions. We therefore addressed an online questionnaire to owners of 223 congenitally sensory impaired (23 vision impaired, 63 hearing impaired, 137 hearing and vision impaired) and 217 sensory normal dogs from various countries. The sensory normal cohort was matched in age, lifetime with owner, breed and sex with the sensory impaired cohort, and was used as a baseline. The questionnaire assessed demographics, morphology, sensory impairments, health and behavioural troubles, activities, and dog-owner communication. Most hearing and/or vision impaired dogs exhibited abnormal pigment deletion in their coat and irises. Vision impaired dogs additionally exhibited ophthalmic abnormalities typically related to Merle. The results are opposed to all above-listed assumptions, except for neurological troubles, which were more frequently reported in sensory impaired dogs. However, we suggest that this finding could be partially accounted for by a lack of diagnosis of breed-related drug sensitivity and impairment-related compulsive behaviours. Results about communication and activities are particularly optimistic. The need for future studies of numerous dogs from various breeds tested for Merle, piebald and medical-drug-resistance genes, and the beneficial effects that present and future research may have on the future of sensory impaired dogs, are discussed.
Highlights
In order to meet an increasing demand for pet dogs, most countries report growing numbers of dog breeders, atypical phenotypes in either existing or novel dog breeds, and births of puppies with various genetic defects [1]
Behaviour: has the dog ever suffered from aggressiveness, anxiety, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or other behavioural troubles? who diagnosed the behavioural trouble(s)? have drugs been prescribed for this/these trouble(s)?
The difference in lifetime with owner between sensory impaired and sensory normal dogs in the present survey has unlikely contributed to differences between groups in owners’ responses relative to interspecific activities and communication
Summary
In order to meet an increasing demand for pet dogs, most countries report growing numbers of dog breeders, atypical phenotypes in either existing or novel dog breeds, and births of puppies with various genetic defects [1]. The population of dogs with congenital hearing and/or vision impairments is increasing. This population results from the mutation of specific genes expressing popular patterns of coat colour. One of the most popular coat colour patterns in dogs is Merle. The Merle trait was essentially produced in certain breeds, mainly from the herding group. This trait has progressively been introduced in a growing number of, sometimes unexpected, breeds. Merle is not accepted for registration in kennel clubs for several of the breeds listed
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