Hearing Wellness in Companion Animals
Why Hearing Wellness Should Become a Standard Part of Every Pet's Health Check
For decades, veterinary wellness has focused on vision, dental health, heart function, mobility, and weight. Yet one of the most important senses an animal relies on every day has often been overlooked: hearing.
As the founder of Pet Acoustics and a Certified Sound Behaviorist™, I have spent more than 15 years studying how sound influences animal behavior, stress, communication, and wellbeing. Throughout that journey, one question continued to surface:
How many behavior problems are actually hearing problems?
That question led to the development of the Pet Acoustics Hearing Wellness Screening and, ultimately, to the publication of our peer-reviewed study, Hearing Wellness in Companion Animals, in the International Animal Health Journal.
What We Learned from Over 10,000 Hearing Screenings
Our study analyzed 10,615 behavioral hearing screenings performed by pet owners, veterinary professionals, and animal care organizations across 86 countries.
The findings were striking:
46.5% of animals showed reduced hearing in at least one frequency range.
High-frequency hearing loss was the most common finding.
Pets aged seven years and older demonstrated significantly more hearing impairment than younger animals.
Dogs and cats showed remarkably similar patterns of age-related hearing decline.
While the screening is behavioral rather than diagnostic, the consistency of these results suggests that hearing loss is far more common than many of us realize.
Hearing Loss Often Looks Like a Behavior Problem
Animals rarely tell us they cannot hear.
Instead, owners notice that their pet:
Doesn't come when called.
Seems stubborn.
Sleeps more deeply.
Startles easily.
Becomes anxious.
Appears confused.
Withdraws socially.
These changes are often attributed to aging or behavior when the underlying cause may be declining hearing.
Without screening, hearing loss can remain hidden for years.
Why Traditional Hearing Testing Isn't Enough
The gold standard for veterinary hearing evaluation is the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) test.
BAER provides objective diagnostic information, but it requires specialized equipment, trained personnel, and often sedation. As a result, it is generally reserved for referral hospitals and specific medical cases.
That leaves most companion animals with no routine hearing assessment at all.
A New Approach to Hearing Wellness
Behavioral hearing screening was designed to fill this gap.
Using species-specific sounds across low, mid, and high frequency ranges, the Pet Acoustics Hearing Wellness Screening can be completed in approximately two minutes on a smartphone or tablet.
The goal is not to diagnose hearing loss.
The goal is to identify animals whose responses suggest they may benefit from:
closer monitoring,
environmental modifications,
communication adjustments,
or referral for diagnostic testing when appropriate.
Just as blood pressure screening doesn't replace cardiac diagnostics, hearing screening provides an accessible first step toward better preventive care.
Hearing Influences More Than Communication
Hearing affects nearly every aspect of an animal's life.
It influences:
emotional regulation,
learning,
confidence,
environmental awareness,
social interactions,
safety,
and the human-animal bond.
When hearing changes, behavior often changes with it.
Recognizing this relationship allows veterinarians, behaviorists, trainers, and owners to make more informed decisions and improve an animal's quality of life.
Looking Ahead
One of the most encouraging aspects of our research was the response from veterinary professionals.
Many clinics reported they currently have no formal hearing assessment protocol, yet expressed enthusiasm for incorporating hearing wellness into routine care.
As veterinary medicine continues to emphasize preventive healthcare, hearing deserves to stand alongside vision, dental health, and mobility as a routine wellness parameter.
Because hearing isn't simply another sense.
It shapes how animals experience the world around them.
And when we begin listening through the animal's ears, we often gain an entirely new understanding of their behavior, their wellbeing, and their needs.
Janet Marlow, M.A., Certified Sound Behaviorist™
Founder & CEO, Pet Acoustics, Inc.
This blog is based on the peer-reviewed publication "Hearing Wellness in Companion Animals: Observational Study of 10,615 Behavioural Hearing Screenings," published in the International Animal Health Journal.