A Bit About Bostons. A cross between the English bulldog and the white English terrier, the Boston originated in Boston, Massachusetts in the late 19th century. Not larger than 25 pounds, the dog is muscular, alert and intelligent, and has an easygoing personality. That said, heart disease is the leading cause of death in this breed.
Many children are born deaf because of a genetic reason. Deafness can be passed down in families even though there appears to be no family history of deafness. Sometimes the gene involved may cause additional disabilities or health problems. Deafness can also be caused by complications during pregnancy. Illnesses such as rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), toxoplasmosis and herpes can cause a child to be born deaf.
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea), or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Most of the time, SNHL cannot be medically or surgically corrected. This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss. SNHL reduces the ability to hear faint sounds. Even when speech is loud enough to hear, it may still be unclear or sound muffled. Some possible causes of SNHL: 1  Illnesses. 2  Drugs that are toxic to hearing. 3  Hearing loss that runs in the family (genetic or hereditary).