Could head trauma cause my puppy's deafness and stunted growth?

Head trauma is always a cause for concern. Since this happened yesterday, there should have been some improvement with your pup if he suffered an injury such as a mild concussion. Sleeping a lot is not so much of a concern since young puppies normally sleep most of the day, but if you also see signs such as unresponsiveness, a head tilt, circling while walking, unequal pupil size, twitching of the eyes, ataxia (wobbly gait) or [vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/vomiting-1/) then he should be [seen by a veterinarian immediately](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-handle-a-pet-emergency/). If there is a bump, it may be a seroma (blood filled sac). This can treated by your veterinarian by either draining the area or trying a veterinary anti-inflammatory medication. Do not medicate him with anything OTC without the advice of your veterinarian as [many OTC drugs can be toxic](https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-human-medications-that-are-dangerous-for-your-pet) to dogs.

It would be unusual for this to occur secondary to a bump on the head, but it is possible to see personality changs with major head trauma. I would recommend having your vet examine him again to look for signs of neurologic problems. Your vet can also refer you to a behaviorist who could help determine whether or not this is simply behavioral and unrelated to the accident.

Puppies hearing develops from 2-4weeks but his responses and behavior in relation to noise takes some time to learn and is often stunted if weaned away from his mother and siblings to early. If you are concerned your vet can do some checks to see if and what frequencies are affected but there are limited treatment options available if there is any lack of hearing. I recommend some puppy socialisation classes as soon as he is vaccinated to encourage some positive training aids at a young age

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are definitely dogs that are deaf. Some dogs are born deaf, either due to a genetic mutation or malformation of the hearing apparatus. There are other dogs who can become deaf over time, due to damage to the ear drum, damage to certain cells within the ear, or chronic treatment with certain medications. I hope this answers your question!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It’s hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like there is a skin infection on Noheas head. An infection could cause bumps and hair loss. A common cause of skin infections in young pit bulls is mange (demodex). These are microscopic mites that don’t cause scratching. I recommend taking Nohea to a vet for a close exam of her skin. They will need to look at cells under the microscope to diagnose this. They can then get her medications to treat the infection and mites if needed. Good luck and kisses to Nohea!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This sounds like severe trauma and warrants a visit to your local emergency veterinary clinic as soon as possible so that they can see the extent of the injury and proceed with therapy. Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like you’ve done all the usual tests so yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if she were deaf. I will say though that testing during puppyhood is difficult because puppies haven’t learned how to react to things yet. I’d say there is a slim chance she can hear. But for her, I’d recommend hand signals along with your verbal commands when training her. Best wishes to you and your adorable new family member Harley!