Proportion of Dalmatian Puppies Have Been Born Deaf

The outstanding example of breeder co-operation in control of inherited disease must be the experience of Progressive Retinal Atrophy, night blindness, in Irish Setters.

By the involvement of nearly all the breeders, and with recognition that the disease had a straightforward inheritance pattern, the condition has been virtually eliminated from the breed.

Up-and-coming schemes include one to control deafness in Dalmatians. For many years, a proportion of Dalmatian puppies have been born deaf or partially deaf.

But breeders were generally only able to recognize stone-deaf puppies, which were put to sleep soon after birth.