Do dogs need hearing protection?
Yes. And not just for deafness issues. There are several reasons why your dog may be in pain when he hears certain noises, and they aren’t all because the sounds are outside the range of human hearing.
When you think about it in absolute terms, that is to say, in relation to what they’re capable of hearing, you will realize that many of the loudest noises that can cause permanent damage or pain for humans are relatively quiet when compared with noises that hurt your dog’s ears.
If you have ever had a very noisy neighbor who blasted heavy metal music late into the night, then you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Dogs can suffer from noise trauma.
You probably also have a good idea of why dogs can suffer from noise trauma. In terms of sheer decibels, many ordinary household appliances and power tools are louder than the average rock band, even if you were to account for their relative frequency range, which humans cannot hear.
There is another reason why your dog may be in pain when it hears certain noises, and this has nothing to do with its ear canal or eardrums at all!
It’s actually due to an aspect of physics that most people don’t think too much about, but it’s something that your dog feels very acutely.
How? By being exposed to these very same sounds over extended periods of time without the benefit of hearing protection!
If your dog isn’t protected from the harmful effects of noise trauma, it could ultimately develop acute and chronic pain. This is especially true of small dogs, who tend to be more sensitive to loud noises than larger breeds.
How can I protect my dogs’ ears from loud noises?
There are many ways that you can protect him from this, some very simple and others less so. For example:
- Keep your stereo and TV set at a level where it cannot hear it if it’s in another room.
- Only play music on full volume outside or away from home, rather than leaving it on all day just because you like it loud.
- Don’t allow children to practice baseball or tennis with balls, bats and rackets near them for extended periods.
- Don’t take it to dog shows unless it is an official participant.
- Do not allow fireworks or other explosives near him, especially on its sensitive ears!
No matter how quiet, any sound can become harmful if your dog is exposed to it for longer than 15 minutes at a stretch.
In fact, the only reason why humans don’t suffer from noise trauma in this way has nothing to do with our physiology and everything to do with the fact that we’re equipped with earmuffs and earplugs that filter out frequencies beyond a certain threshold without having to reduce overall volume levels.
Can I put earplugs in my dogs ears?
Of course, you can, but there are certain things to keep in mind. For one thing, earplugs made for humans are, by and large, too big for dogs.
Even the smallest breeds have smaller ear canals than their gregarious humans, which means that no matter how hard they try to squeeze them into their ears, they’re just not going to fit! This is why looking for something special made out of soft foam or silicone is so important.
At the first sign of distress, you should take your dog to a veterinarian if it hasn’t already been seen recently since his eardrums may have ruptured.
Prompt treatment with antibiotics will usually allow it to recover fully, but permanent damage could occur if the rupture is not seen too quickly.
How do I know if my dog has ruptured his eardrums?
One of the first things you can look for is blood or fluid from the ear canal. If your dog shakes its head outdoors or combs at it insistently with its paws, this could also be a sign that it’s suffering pain and discomfort; the same applies to whining, yelping, and whimpering.
Do Military Dogs use hearing protection?
The simple answer to this question is yes; they most certainly do. Who can blame them? After all, most dogs are already equipped with healthy hearing that’s more sensitive than ours; they don’t need to be exposed to harmful sounds that could tear through their eardrums like bullets.
However, this does not mean that your dog will automatically wear ear protection when it moves outside the home since some breeds find it uncomfortable or even refuse to put anything in their ears, even if you were to force them.
Do gunshots damage dogs ears?
If your dog is outside and near a source of explosions such as fireworks or gunshots, its eardrums will often be fine, even if it doesn’t have earplugs.
The problem comes when he continuously hears these sounds for a prolonged period, especially if his hearing is hypersensitive.
In such cases, you need to find suitable ear protection to reduce the noise at its source while still allowing your dog to hear your commands and other noises that signal danger or joy.
Do police dogs have hearing protection?
Yes, of course. Police dogs need to be able to pick up on the slightest sound of distress or illegal activity, which means they can’t always rely on their handlers for protection.
Earplugs help them keep calm while giving them an advantage in noisy conditions that would put most humans off of the task.
Do dogs need ear muffs for flying?
Ever since the fear of flying became apparent amongst humans, there have been a whole host of new inventions designed to make this torturous experience as comfortable as possible.
Dog earmuffs are no different in this respect since they can help dogs stay calm while doing an activity that would otherwise induce panic or discomfort if they were left unaided.
Conclusions
Dogs are very sensitive to loud noises, and they can be injured by them. To prevent hearing loss, dogs need ear protection that is either made for their size or custom-made with the right materials.
Dogs should also wear these when exposed to fireworks, gunshots, and other high-volume sounds. If you have not already asked your veterinarian about this during a routine visit, then we suggest doing so today!