deformity question

[Silver_Sky]

I was wondering if it's possible for a wolf to have ears that are slightly longer and/or a little more "pointy" because of a deformity.

Also, I understand that a deformed wolf wouldn't be able to hunt as well, or possibly not at all, but I also think it might have at least a small chance of survival if it managed to live off carcasses, or if it was in a pack. Could that happen, or would it die?

[Masika]

Hello Silver_Sky,

In regards to your first question, about ear deformations, here are a couple of quotes I gathered from a similar discussion which I recall seeing, which may help you out ^^

Wolves, such as many dog breeds (e.g. Siberian Huskies and German Shepherds, or basically any breed that has triangular ears), are born with "floppy" or "loopy" ears which will become fully erect around 4 1/2 months of age. Like with domestic canines, it is also possible for wolves that the ears fail to raise up properly due to poorly developed or damaged tendons, but I believe this is fairly rare.

Wolves can have ear "deformations" such as floppy or tilted ears, and they can even have severe deformations, although a wolf with severely deformed ears would most likely decease very soon as it would not be able to survive.

Actually, I remember seeing a wolf with a floppy ear at a wolf sanctuary I visited. They told me that she had that floppy ear because when she was a young pup, she'd gotten into a fight with another pup. Her ear ended up getting bitten and damaged pretty severely, and it never healed properly.

Actually, I remember seeing a wolf with a floppy ear at a wolf sanctuary I visited. They told me that she had that floppy ear because when she was a young pup, she'd gotten into a fight with another pup. Her ear ended up getting bitten and damaged pretty severely, and it never healed properly.

it is also possible for wolves that the ears fail to raise up properly due to poorly developed or damaged tendons

Exactly; if the ear gets damaged (via bite, or gets crushed, or is hit by something and it affects the tendons), it may not heal and rise up again. But it's still pretty rare to sight floppy-eared wolves.

Also, I am not entirely sure whether this applies to wild wolves as well (though I would assume so), but high-content wolfdogs have a lot of fly bites in their ears during the summer which can develop infections unless they're cleaned and applied with a lotion. I would presume that in the wild wolves can get fly-bitten ears and ear ticks and whatnot and these naturally can infect the ears and cause damage (some bacteria can eat away the fur of the ear and even literally 'eat' the skin of the ear itself).

Source: Ear Deformations? - http://www.wolfquest.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=49087

[Moon-Light-Shadow]

I don't think it'd be able to live by itself long because, well, (sorry in advance for using dogs as a example. xD) I've saw somewhere (I think animalplanet) that dogs with 'floppy' ears can't hear as well as dogs with pointy ears, So, they'd have a hard chance of survival because they wouldn't be able to hear as well as if they had pointy ears (If the whole dog thing is true, xD) so, I'd think they couldn't survive long....

[Silver_Sky]

So that would mean a wolf with a deformity causing it to have slightly more pointy ears would have better hearing, right?

[NewMooon]

I don't think it'd be able to live by itself long because, well, (sorry in advance for using dogs as a example. xD) I've saw somewhere (I think animalplanet) that dogs with 'floppy' ears can't hear as well as dogs with pointy ears, So, they'd have a hard chance of survival because they wouldn't be able to hear as well as if they had pointy ears (If the whole dog thing is true, xD) so, I'd think they couldn't survive long....

They probably could survive because even dogs with floppy ears can hear much better then humans can.

And yes, I think wolves can have deformities like that although rare.

[Koa]

So that would mean a wolf with a deformity causing it to have slightly more pointy ears would have better hearing, right?

Possibly - a quote from a website regarding malteses. (although the question was spurred by a concerned maltese owner who was worried about their dog's ears)

By the way, dogs with ears that stand up have the greatest hearing ability, better than breeds with long, floppy ears. The pointed ears are natural cups for bringing in the sound, and the tiny muscles that control them allow the dog to move his ears in several directions

http://malteseonly.com/archives500/216.html
(I am unsure how reliable the site is. I would assume, however, that the theory stated above could apply to a wolf with an ear deformity regarding slightly more pointed ears, but I could be wrong.)

[Silver_Sky]

So that would mean a wolf with a deformity causing it to have slightly more pointy ears would have better hearing, right?

Possibly - a quote from a website regarding malteses. (although the question was spurred by a concerned maltese owner who was worried about their dog's ears)

By the way, dogs with ears that stand up have the greatest hearing ability, better than breeds with long, floppy ears. The pointed ears are natural cups for bringing in the sound, and the tiny muscles that control them allow the dog to move his ears in several directions

http://malteseonly.com/archives500/216.html
(I am unsure how reliable the site is. I would assume, however, that the theory stated above could apply to a wolf with an ear deformity regarding slightly more pointed ears, but I could be wrong.)

Ok. Thanks for all the answers everyone who replied to this. You can lock this if you want Koa, I think you all managed to answer my question.
As for the other one, you can skip it.

[Koa]

I'll lock this, and as for your other question, it depends on the severity. I'd think it would cope, even with a slight deformation, but not without its problems. Any deformation may cause a lower chance of survival, although it could be not exactly a drastic chance.