LESSONS FROM MY DOG’S HEARING LOSS

We were packing to move from our temporary rural residence back to urban life – this time in southern California instead of Brooklyn, NY. It was exciting, though hectic. My dog had embraced other move adventures, so I wasn’t too concerned this would be different. But it coincided with some changes. Django would no longer notice when his dad came home from work with the door opening and closing….unless he was paying attention to the schedule and waiting by the door. He was sleeping a bit more. What I thought was a new stubbornness on walks was just him not hearing me. If someone rang the bell, he’d no longer perk up and transform into our ‘Flying Polenta’ – if you’ve seen him or his photos on my website and know of the Flying Wallendas, you get the reference.

I took him to the vet to check for blockages or signs of infection. Nothing came up. The vet said it’s just common in senior dogs. She actually used the word geriatric, which was a punch to the gut since Django is my baby. I know he’s a senior and my heart belongs to him and all senior and special needs dogs. I just don’t want a constant reminder that he has more life behind him than in front of him. I’m glad he doesn’t hear the passers-by comment “Hey, old man.” Or “He’s an old guy, isn’t he?” I mean, sure he is … and I embrace my own increased wisdom the passing of my time AKA aging. But it’s different for a dog mom than a mom whose human kid is always younger than they are. Dogs age faster than us as we know, so we dog parents are usually burying our babies. We know it when we adopt them and it’s probably for the best that they tend to die before us since we couldn’t guarantee them a safe, loving home if we were always dying first. After all, society doesn’t care for them like people. They aren’t citizens. They don’t have many rights. They aren’t protected enough by the law, though more protective laws are being passed thanks to organizations like the Animal Legal Defense Fund. They tend to be seen as property in the eyes of the law. Shelters are over-crowded. Rental properties forbid dogs too often, especially certain breeds. So, yes, I’m glad the chances are that I’ll still be alive and able to protect him through his dying day. But again, I just don’t want a constant reminder that my dog has more life behind him than in front of him.

Coming to terms with Django’s new special needs as a hearing-impaired dog took a minute… or more. It’s not like I can give him hearing aids like my relatives use and solve the problem with those nifty little devices. I want the best for him. I want him to thrive and be confident. Heck, I’m a health coach! But I cannot control the aging process entirely and I cannot likely reverse his hearing loss. Believe me – I’ve tried. From a second opinion vet check-up and chiropractic appointments to enzymes for the ears, and from supplements to energy healing, nothing has yet brought any hearing back.

But I did notice something wonderful – he hears me at the ocean and he hears me when the wind blows. So I make it a point to tell him I love him multiple times when we have that environment, that breeze, that atmospheric pressure, and those opportunities. His new integrative vet was fascinated by this finding and made a great suggestion – run some quiet fans blowing in his direction when we want to communicate with words.

It’s always important to find the silver linings in challenging situations. When the noisy tape gun made its jarring sounds to seal those moving boxes, Django didn’t flinch. We can play music a bit louder than we would when he could hear it since dogs ear are sensitive. When my husband opens his packages of cheese or crackers, Django is no longer cued to come running and beg for food he doesn’t need. (No, his sense of smell did not seem to expand to compensate for his hearing loss. And though we know dogs have a tremendous sense of smell, it has been interesting to see how so much of his behavior around food was tied to sound, not just smell.) Since we moved back to a city after a few years in the country, Django’s hearing loss meant we didn’t have to worry about possible shock or stress from urban noise like garage trucks and sirens that we had been spared for a few years. I am also grateful for the many other forms of communication I have with Django, including that woo woo animal communication meditation I’m trained to do. He can still see albeit a bit less, so we still make lots of eye contact and get that oxytocin fix. He was already trained in many hand signals, so those still work. We still cuddle. He still demands belly rubs….and tasty treats. He still loves one 90-minute walk per day plus a few short ones. What he lost in hearing sensation is made up in sniffaris around his new town. He still loves car rides to different neighborhoods or towns to check out the pee mail there, too. We spend as much time together as possible and it keeps him calm, happy, engaged and healthy.

Caring for a deaf dog just takes a little more attention. Django wears a gps tracker, but I never want him out of our sight off-leash somewhere since he cannot hear us for any recall. When it’s time to go for a walk, he still sometimes responds to the clanking of the leash or clicking sounds we make, but otherwise we just need to get close and gently get his attention. He now wears a harness all the time for his own protection since he can’t hear us say ‘drop it’ and we don’t want to yank his neck, of course. Keeping him mentally engaged to avoid cognitive decline is even more important now, so daily exploration, games and exercises are key. He still seems sharp as a tack. Finding us around the house seems to take a bit longer without audible clues. He doesn’t seem much more anxious, but we do a lot to protect him from such stress.

Hearing loss, if new, could be an infection that’s treatable or a blockage like excess ear wax that can be removed. Monitor ears for odor, redness, inflammation and head shaking. But often the hearing loss is age-related and sometimes a rupture/trauma. Check with your vet. There are plenty of things you can do to adjust to the change with your dog:

·        use hand signals

·        communicate within the line of sight,

·        don’t startle (gently tap his/her shoulder or put your hand close to their face),

·        get a collar tag indicating deafness and a gps tracker,

·        try clicking, clapping, or bells that may still be audible

·        use more eye contact than ever

·        Favorable scents may also awaken a deaf dog. Sometimes that awakens Django.

(By the way, his name means awaken in the Romany language.)

·        Protect your dog by avoiding off-leash time unless it’s in a fenced yard or at a beach cove.

·        Attach a small bell to the collar so you can find them easily.

·        You can connect a harness and collar with a carabiner for skittish dogs.

·        Increase sniff walks for the stimulation that no longer comes from sounds.

·        Some hearing aids may be available, but they’re expensive and likely irritating to your dog.

After his hearing loss, I found myself meeting more dogs or people who told me they had deaf dogs. One woman told me how beneficial it seemed to be. Her dog didn’t seem bothered by what triggers other dogs like doorbells, phone sounds, fireworks, sirens and the rest. Django made one friend named Mr. Breakfast who was apparently an internet sensation through The Dodo as few years back. We were brushed by celebrity! Well, Mr. Breakfast is a precious, gentle giant. A chunky monkey. A doggie hippo. He has been deaf from the day his mom adopted him, though we don’t know if he was born deaf. As a way to bond with him, she decided to take surfing lessons with him. Yes, Mr. B would go surfing. I saw the video. Amazing. He loved it. Poor Mr. B also has a brain tumor, we learned, so we wish him all the best – many more days free of pain and full of joy. We thank him for his inspiration and his kindness to both people and dogs like Django.

There are many ways to continue bonding after you dog loses hearing. In fact, it may even make you closer. Your dog can continue to lead a meaningful life. Reach out if you need help navigating this terrain or any health challenge that you or your dog is facing.