Hearing tests are usually required for one of two reasons.
Either to check whether puppies or kittens of breeds at-risk for deafness are deaf or partially deaf in one or both ears, or as part of the investigation of deafness in older animals. David uses the standard method of hearing testing, BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response) testing.
The test takes only a few minutes and can usually be done without the need for any sedative or anaesthesia.