A comparative study of insert earphones and circumaural earphones in the brainstem auditory-evoked response test of dogs

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the differences in the efficacy of insert and circumaural earphones when performing the brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) test with dogs. Hearing loss may occur congenitally or secondarily in dogs. The BAER test, unlike the classical ethological method, is the most reliable diagnostic tool to assess canine auditory function. Furthermore, there are certain advantages of using insert earphones rather than the standard, circumaural earphones. We subjected eight dogs to the BAER test with insert earphones and circumaural earphones. The result revealed that the latency of waves was delayed with an insert earphone. The inter-peak latency did not show any significant differences between the two transducers, and the threshold was higher when using an insert earphone. Moreover, the circumaural headphones produced a greater degree of crossover effect than the insert earphones, and this cross-over effect could affect the outcomes of the BAER test. Considering these results, we concluded that insert earphones may be more appropriate when performing the canine BAER test.