October Is...National Audiology Awareness Month

WOOF!! My human is somewhat of a crazy guy, different than most other guys.  He has no clue about sports, loves to laugh, do crazy things to make people laugh and just be his normal unusual self.  And I paw him quite a bit!  BARK!!

Barkingly pawsome is how he takes care of himself for me and Mom.  A few years ago, he began noticing he had hearing problems.  He couldn't hear Mom as well and a few of his co-workers were difficult to understand.  He made an appointment with an Audiologist recommended by his Primary Care Doctor and began the journey to getting his hearing checked and hearing aids. 

Did you know- 

Used by permission, American Academy of Audiology

• Over 36 million American adult humans have some degree of hearing loss.
• That is over 4 times the amount of people who live in New York City
• Half of the 36 million Americans are under the age of 65.

• Hearing problems are commonly associated with aging, pawsingly, more than 5 million young humans in the United States between the ages of six and 19 report noise-induced hearing loss.
• 1.1 billion people are at risk for hearing loss due to unsafe personal use of portable music devices.

• Hearing loss can be caused by exposure to loud noises, ear infections, trauma, or ear disease; harm to the inner ear and ear drum, illness or certain medications, and deterioration due to the normal aging process.

• Noise-induced hearing loss can be caused by lawn/farm equipment, concerts, sporting events, firework shows, hair dryers, firearms, and alarm clocks. A single exposure to excessive noise can also cause permanent hearing loss.

• Untreated dizziness and balance disorders can increase fall risk and result in hip fractures, broken bones, and head trauma.

My human wears hearing aids now.  In his situation, hearing loss is inherited and could have been exasperated by loud music.  Now, he loves hearing Mom's voice (bark, and she loves not repeating herself!), hearing the birds sing, and I don't have to bark to get him to do what I want when I want. 

Taking time to see an audiologist for regular hearing screenings and knowing the signs of hearing loss can protect your hearing. Make an appointment with an audiologist soon.

(C) Creative Commons, Flickr, Waifer X

Barkingly, hearing loss affects canines too.  At first, it might not be evident as some dogs are just stubborn and don't obey their humans like they should.  In most cases, hearing loss affects older dogs.  If you have an older dog and have been blessed to have him most of his life, now is the time to help him adjust to this change.  Like humans, he may be a bit frustrated with the loss, so it's important that you exercise patience and love with your dog.

Pawsingly, don't panic or go nuts like my human would do.  There are other things, like ear wax, that could cause your canine buddy to not hear you!

If you suspect hearing loss, please don't pawse to take your buddy to the veterinarian to be check.