B.A.E.R. Testing

Like all first time breeders, I wanted to "Do it right". I was very enthusiastic about breeding, I had done a lot of research, asked a lot of questions, and had assisted with other litters, both Dalmatians and other breeds. I felt confident that I could do it right. I chose the sire after much deliberation. It was going to be a boy who I thought would suit my bitch well and who also had a very good record on NOT producing bi-laterally deaf puppies. My bitch was from lines that haven’t produced a bi-laterally deaf puppy for 15 years (4 generations). I was confident that my first litter would be a nice litter and also have no deaf puppies.

The puppies were born on the 29th February, 2000. Ten beautiful babies, five girls, and five boys (one patch). They were all healthy and strong and mum was wonderful. I on the other hand had a few new grey hairs! I started advertising straight away as I only had a few homes lined up. The number of callers who asked about deafness surprised me. There were many more puppy buyers out there that have done their research on the breed than I thought. I was impressed!

I also felt like a fraud talking to the potential puppy buyers. "Yes, all the puppies will have hearing tests done." Home tests, not BAER tests. I kept on saying "BAER testing is only available in Sydney and is too far away for me to drive a litter of 7 week old puppies to." Thinking about this one night, I thought "Why is Sydney too far away to get BAER Testing done, but not too far away to drive to Sydney and back in the one day for the Sydney Royal?" A very good question, and one I didn’t have an answer for.

So, I started investigating BAER testing. I asked a few breeders, who have had BAER tests done previously, some questions. I found out prices, availability etc. The closest BAER testing machine was at the University of Sydney Vet School Clinic. The price is $100 for the first puppy and then $50 every puppy afterwards. Adults dogs are $100 each. It was cheaper than I had envisaged and within a reachable distance away. I thought out the logistics, and yes, it was possible to get my pups BAER tested! So, I decided that I would get it done. I mentioned to Neil and Jane Hurst of Yarrowfell Dalmatians that I was getting the puppies tested and after a lot of questions, they decide that they would like to get Maggie (Yarrowfell Your on Next) tested as well. She is only 4 months old and still fitted in the puppy age range.

So, the big day arrived. I was awake at 4am, with the assistance of an alarm clock. Coffee!!!! Then bustle the puppies into the car, pack all needed supplies and leave by 5am. Our appointment was for 10am in Camperdown, so we had plenty of time to get there. The drive went well, after we covered up the puppies with a sheet so they couldn’t see us and the screaming stopped! We arrived at 9.30am in plenty of time. The University Vet Clinic was really easy to find. We parked and gave Maggie a toilet walk. No action? Oh well, maybe she just didn’t need to go, after all they didn’t have dinner last night (vets orders).

We signed in at the clinic and the receptionist informed the vet we had arrived. We carried the puppies into the waiting room in the crate they came up in, after placing clean bedding in the crate. After getting comfortable in the waiting room, Maggie decided that she really did need to go to the toilet and disgraced herself on the floor! Oh well, these things happen, and the receptionist was really nice about it.

The vet came out and we introduced ourselves. His name is Dr David Church. We were then ushered past many "Ohing" and "Ahhing" Vet students down the corridors and into the Ultrasound room. The BAER Testing machine looks very similar to an Ultrasound machine. It has various wires coming out of it ending in a junction, with two sets of earplugs that emit sound, and three wires with tiny, little needles on them. Two of these needles are made out of glass and are $75 per needle. They average about 8 pups per needle or about 3 to 4 adults. The third needle is just a normal hypodermic needle.

Dr Church was very friendly and very happy to answer all our questions. Firstly, he explained that we would be assisting him with the anaesthetic. The reason for this is twofold, firstly to cut down on the costs so they don’t have to hire an anaesthetist, and secondly, the breeders get to see the results first hand. This way there is no room for doubt in the breeders mind about which puppy was tested and the results.

Firstly, a gas mask was placed over the puppies face and held there until the puppy was unconscious (approx 30 seconds). The puppy was then placed on the table, with their legs stretch out behind them, paws stretch out in front, with a rolled up towel resting on them. The puppy's head was placed on the rolled up towel with the mask still in place. The vet then inserted the needles, just under the skin on the puppy. The glass needles are inserted one just under each ear. The third needle is inserted just under the skin at the occiput.

The vet then calibrated the machine and tested the first ear. He explained what the various lines were on the display on the machine and how it worked. The machine measures the electrical activity in the brain. The earplugs would emit a sound and the needles would measure the level of brain activity at the same time. If you have ever seen a heart monitor, it is very similar. If there is activity in the brain then the line would have squiggles in it, if there are no squiggles then no activity and therefore no hearing in that ear. The level of activity in the brain is averaged out over 1024 Mbs. You can usually see squiggles at about 200 to 250 bs, if the puppy has normal hearing. It takes about 60 seconds to get to 1024b/s.

The first ear on the first puppy was tested. The line had very few squiggles in it and Dr Church thought it could be the machine, so he recalibrated it. He then tested the right ear and she had perfect hearing in that ear. He then tried the left ear again. He received the same result as when he first tested it. He then explained that while there was some small amount of hearing in that ear, he would classify the pup as a Uni-lateral. We were surprised to say the least, as it was Daffodil. She was one of the bright sparks of the litter. She is always the first to come running, and was outwardly no different from any of the other puppies! We were worried at this point that maybe the rest of the litter would have problems as well!

After both ears are tested, the needles and earplugs are removed. The anaesthetic is then turned off and just pure oxygen is given to the puppy. After 60 seconds of oxygen the mask is removed entirely, puppy is checked by the vet to see if their colour is still good etc, then handed to someone to cuddle until they wake up. The whole operation takes about 5 to 10 minutes per puppy.

We then tested several more puppies, all with bi-lateral hearing. We were feeling much better by this point. Next to come out was Red. He was one of the potential show puppies in the litter and was a favourite of many. Having had some time to think about Daffodil’s results, he was the most likely pup to have a problem. Sure enough on his left ear (same ear as Daffodil) he had no discernable hearing whatsoever. Daffodil had some hearing, although no very much, but Red had none in his left ear whatsoever. His right ear came up as normal hearing. This was our second, and last Uni in the litter. All the other pups have Bi-lateral hearing.

Maggie was the last puppy to be tested. She was a bit more difficult as she was bigger. But she did really well and didn’t struggle at all. She simply fell asleep very peacefully. After 4 months of age, the dogs will need to be sedated first, then the gas to anaesthetise them, because if they decide to struggle, then it is really difficult for someone to restrain them. Maggie’s readings were quite good and it was obvious that she has bi-lateral hearing. She was under for only a very short time. We cuddled her for about 5 minutes afterwards and she recovered so quickly that she actually walked out of the room under her own steam. A half-hour after we left all the puppies were back to their normal selves, with no ill effects for having been tested at all.

There are three things I would change. Firstly, I would wait until the puppies are slightly older. The vet recommends 7 1/2 to 8 weeks old is the best time to test them. My puppies were only just 7 weeks old. Secondly, I would have the puppies Microchipped first, so there would be no doubt over which puppies were tested. Maggie was scanned first, before testing and her microchip number was recorded on her vet report. My puppies were not Microchipped at that time, so I couldn’t do that with them. Thirdly, I would have certificates printed up, that would state X (registered name) puppy, sex, DOB, and chip number was BAER tested on this date and the results were: (tick boxes with Bi-laterally deaf, Uni-laterally deaf with what ear, or has normal hearing), and get the vet to sign them as we go along. This would be a nice certificate to give to the new owner along with the Registration papers, Vaccination and microchipping certificates.

I would thoroughly recommend breeders who have access to this testing to test all their breeding stock and all their puppies. It is a really quick, easy procedure at a reasonable price.

Rebecca Woiwade

Maggie (Yarrowfell Youre On Next ET) being BAER tested at 4 months of age.

B.A.E.R. testing facilities in Australia:

Western Australia

Dr. Clive Eger

Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital

School of Veterinary Studies

South Street

Murdoch, Perth, Western Australia, 6150

Phone: (09) 360-2641, fax (09) 310-7495

eger@numbat.murdoch.edu.au

New South Wales

University of Sydney

Veterinary Clinical Sciences

Sydney, NSW 2006

Phone: (02) 9351 3437,

fax (02) 9351 4261

Dr Karen Hedberg (Veterinary Surgeon)

36 Bells Line Of Rd

North Richmond NSW 2754

ph: (02) 4571 2042

Queensland

Dr. Sue Sommerlad

University of Queensland

Brisbane, Queensland

Australia

Phone: (07) 3365 2110

S.Sommerlad@mailbox.uq.edu.au