How true is it that solid white pit bulls are blind and or hearing impared?

Question

I have a 4 month solid white (or albino) pit bull and i read a few websites that were about dogs in general and said that most "white dogs" have hearing problems or are blind it that true???

Is my dog considered albino? She is solid white whit Green eyes......some pit owners I've see at parks say she is.

Answer 1

Albino means no pigment at all., Mostly pink where she would normally have black.
alot of pure white or albino animals are deaf. I have never heard of the blind thing. Most but not all. if she can hear you she obviously is not deaf and if she See's you then she is not blind. I would worry more about cancer. White dogs cannot be in the sun alot because they are just like us, they burn and can develop cancer. So just be a good owner and make sure you socialize her alot. it is enough that she is a Pitbull so do not encourage aggression or want her to be that way. I own a Pitbull so believe me when I say that socialization is important and obedience. People will judge her because she is a Pitbull so you have to be a good example for them all.
Good Luck

Answer 2

No, not true. The white gene in pit bulls is the same one that occurs in boxers and several other breeds; it is called the piebald gene. It is associated with deafness, NOT blindness. If a puppy is going to be deaf because of the piebald gene it would be deaf from the time it is born, so if your puppy is not deaf then you have nothing to worry about. It's not going to go deaf -- at least, not simply because it's white. Liz, do a little research before you spout off such off-the-wall information. That is NOT TRUE. To get a little more complicated (but better explain WHY the above is true) -- the piebald gene is what makes a dog white. It doesn't make ALL of the dog white though, there can still be patches of color anywhere on the body; there's no telling WHERE the white will fall. This is not just for the visible parts, but the inside of the dog also that you can't see (yes, internal organs are also affected by the piebald gene). So, your dog's liver, stomach, intestines, etc. *could* be white too. What determines whether the puppy will be deaf or not depends on whether the cochlea, the tiny hairs on the inner ear which enable hearing, end up being affected by the piebald gene (lacking pigment). Meaning, if the cochlea happen to be white, the dog will be deaf. If the cochlea remain unaffected by the white gene and are pigmented, the dog is not deaf. Areas lacking pigment do not move or shift positions, so however the dog is born that is how it will be. That is why a hearing dog cannot "go deaf" from the piebald gene (if it's going to be deaf, it would be deaf from the very beginning).

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How true is it that solid white pit bulls are blind and or hearing impared?
I have a 4 month solid white (or albino) pit bull and i read a few websites that were about dogs in general and said that most "white dogs" have hearing problems or are blind it that true???

Answer 4

There's a difference between having a white dog and having an albino dog. Albino dogs lack pigment which means that their noses are pink, paw pads are pink, etc. Their eyes are usually a pale blue. These dogs do have definite problems with blindness and/or deafness.

But what it sounds like to me is that you have a white dog, not an albino one so I seriously doubt that your dog will have these problems (unless it does indeed lack the pigments),

Answer 5

It's true, eye and hearing problems are linked to the white gene. Doesn't mean your dog is definitely blind or deaf, just that it had a strong chance of it. Same with ferrets with a blaze on their forehead (most likely deaf).


No, I wouldn't call her albino. If she was albino then her skin would be very sensitive to light and you would know it.

Answer 6

White Pitbulls

Answer 7

The gene for white or blue eyed dogs and cats are linked,to deaf ness, several breeds. not just pits.(It is a heredity defect) Also some colored dogs can be born deaf as well.--Dosen't mean your dog is deaf or blind--You should be able to tell by her actions weather she can hear and see.

Answer 8

My pit bull, "Mystic" her father was true albino and he ALWAYS sunburned and he did have trouble seeing on bright clear days. The vet told us that the red eyes had the pigment deficency and if he was out in the bright sun that yes, he would go blind

Answer 9

it is true...i have a friend that owns 2 albino dogs...one of them is a great dane and the other is a boxer...not do they only have blindness or deafness...but they also have some health problems...not that i am saying that your dog will have some health problems but what pet doesnt....but most albino dogs indeed are deaf and or blind...hope i helped you...good luck...

Answer 10

I've never heard of that, and I have a pit and before I got her, I did a lot of research on them, and I never saw anything like that on any website that I checked out.