My dog is suddenly not hearing well and seems less alert. Why?

Question

I have noticed that my lab is not as alert as usual. Meaning he is not hearing as well. I notice when I come home he is not coming to the door as he is not hearing the garage door open, and when coming up or down the stairs he does not open his eyes or perk up. What could be causing this? He was shaking his head about 2 weeks ago and we cleaned his ears real good and the head shaking has stopped. He doesn’t seem dizzy or to be walking funny, and eating and drinking are normal. Thanks. Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | neutered | 4 years and 3 months old

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

This definitely does seem suspicious of hearing loss. Hearing loss can be due to infection, but this usually only affects one ear at a time and would not cause total deafness. There are also certain medications that can cause a dog to go deaf, so if you used any medications in the ear when you cleaned them, then this could have caused the deafness. Otherwise, dogs can suddenly go deaf for reasons that we often don't fully understand. Either way, it's best to get him evaluated by a vet. They will be able to tell if there are any issues within the ear that need treatment. I hope that helps and all is well with Lincoln.

My dog is suddenly not hearing well and seems less alert. Why?

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