How Your Pet Could Benefit from BAER Testing
Have you noticed something strange about your pet’s behavior? We at the Granada Veterinary Clinic can help you identify the potential issue affecting your pet. You can visit our clinic in Mission Hills, CA, to get a better handle on your pet’s current condition.
In some cases, determining what’s wrong with your pet could require some special exams. To be more specific, your pet could benefit from undergoing BAER testing.
Are you unfamiliar with BAER testing? If so, stay tuned as we’ll be discussing that in greater detail.
What Is BAER Testing?
The BAER in BAER testing stands for brainstem auditory evoked response. As you’ve probably guessed from the meaning of the acronym, this type of test is performed to evaluate your pet’s hearing. If your pet is suffering from some form of hearing loss, BAER testing will allow the veterinarian to pick up on that.
To begin the test, the veterinarian will first insert foam headphones into your pet’s ears. Needle electrodes will also be inserted under your pet’s skin.
Once everything is in place, the vet will start to release sounds through the headphones. The electrodes will then record how well your pet reacts to those noises.
You can rest assured that BAER testing is painless. Your pet can complete the examination without feeling any discomfort whatsoever. They may not be used to wearing headphones, but that is likely to be the only issue they have.
BAER testing can be completed in about 10 minutes. Pets that don’t like wearing headphones may have to be sedated so the test can be finished.
What Does BAER Testing Reveal About Potential Hearing Loss?
The likely reason why you are paying for BAER testing for your pet is that you want to know how well they are hearing. The great thing about this type of exam is that it can raise flags about different types of potential hearing loss.
BAER testing can pick up on conductive hearing loss, a condition that affects the ear canal and the middle ear. That same test is also good for identifying issues impacting the cochlear nerve.
It is also useful for identifying early hearing loss in pets.
By discovering that condition early on, you can pursue possible forms of treatment. Even if your pet’s condition cannot be treated, learning about it early can still be helpful. With that condition confirmed, you can now adapt your approach to caring for them.
Don’t disregard the fact that BAER testing can also be used to assess the condition of your pet’s brainstem. Gaining that type of knowledge as soon as possible is incredibly helpful. You can use that to determine if your pet needs long-term medical care.
Get BAER Testing Done Today
There is no denying the effectiveness of BAER testing as a diagnostic tool. Allow us at the Granada Veterinary Clinic to administer that examination on your pet. Visit our clinic in Mission Hills, CA, if you need to get that testing done. Call us today at (818) 361-0125 to schedule an appointment.
