Unilateral deafness diagnosed using the brainstem auditory evoked response test in a shih-tzu dog

Abstract

A 12-year-old castrated male Shih Tzu presented with suspected hearing loss. The patient had no history of head trauma or exposure to ototoxic drugs. The results of neurologic and physical examinations were normal. An otoscopic examination showed that both the tympanic membranes and the external ear canals had a normal appearance. However, the results of brainstem auditory evoked response tests confirmed sensorineural deafness in the right ear and indicated conduction disturbances and brainstem abnormalities in the left ear. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed to confirm the causes of the conduction disturbances and brainstem abnormalities. Inflammatory changes in the left middle ear were highly suspected to be responsible for the findings in the left ear. The results of these examinations confirmed complete hearing loss in the right ear and indicated otitis media in the left ear, which could have been the cause of the conduction disturbances. ? 2018, Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics. All rights reserved.