Deafness & Blue Eyes in Dalmatians

The dalmatian is a breed of dog known predominately for its physical appearance; specifically, for its white fur coated with brown or black spots. The breed was employed as a carriage dog early in its history. Today, the dalmatian is a popular family pet, though a predisposition for deafness is considered a chief health problem for the breed. Multiple studies have concluded that blue-eyed -- as opposed to brown-eyed -- Dalmatians possess a greater risk for deafness. Because of this association, many breeders consider blue eyes a fault in the breed.

  1. The Dalmatian Club of America

    • The Dalmatian Club of America alludes to multiple instances of studies done in which researchers were able to correlate hearing impairment with phenotype traits in dalmatians. The club warns, based on the studies, that bilaterally or unilaterally deaf dalmatians should not be bred. They conclude that blue-eyed dalmatians are more likely to breed deaf dogs, suggesting that only brown-eyed dogs should be bred. They base their conclusion on three separate and isolated research projects.

    UC Davis Studies

    • Researchers at the University of California-Davis have been researching the origins of deafness in dalmatians since the early 1990s. They have since concluded that hearing loss in the breed is an inherited trait. Additionally, they found that dalmatians with blue eyes -- or even just a single blue eye -- having a significantly greater chance of suffering from hearing impairment.

    "Have I the Right to Sing the Blues?"

    • Originally published in Dalmatian Quarterly, a 1999 article by Dr. Thomas R. Famula titled "Have I the Right to Sing the Blues?" affirms that blue eyes offer a genetic correlation with deafness. Referring to argument that this correlation is not necessarily categorical, Dr Famula concludes that "the fact that the association between blue eyes and deafness is not perfect should not permit ignoring the signal. The signal of eye color is real and significant; it cannot be ignored." His assertion serves as a forewarning to those who seek to breed blue-eyed dalmatians regardless of the warning signs.

    Info Table

    • Dr. Bruce M. Cattanach has published a list of data tables on deafness likelihood for dalmatians based on fur pattern or eye color. Borrowing from the information compiled in Strain and Tedford's 1996 study, Cattanach affirms that dalmatians with two blue eyes have just a 43.8 percent of not suffering any form of deafness, either bilaterally or unilaterally; while those with a single blue eye have only a 51.3 percent chance. He alludes to other studies that conclude similar findings.