TL;DR: A change in your dog's bark is often caused by irritation of the vocal cords and is usually non-urgent unless your pet is struggling to breathe. Recording a video of the hoarseness can help your veterinarian quickly distinguish between minor inflammation and more serious conditions.
What causes my dog to have a hoarse voice or a change in their bark?
A change in your dog's bark, often described as hoarseness, raspiness, or a lost voice, occurs when the vocal cords or the larynx (voice box) become irritated, inflamed, or obstructed. This can manifest as a higher pitch, a muffled sound, or a complete inability to bark normally. It is often the result of temporary irritation but can sometimes point to underlying health issues.
Is it an emergency if my dog's voice changes or they become hoarse?
- Low Urgency: Most cases are non-urgent if your dog is eating, drinking, and acting normally; simply monitor them and schedule a routine veterinary appointment.
- Emergency: Seek immediate veterinary care if the change in bark is accompanied by gasping for air, a blue tint to the gums, or extreme lethargy.
How can a photo or video help my vet diagnose my dog's voice change?
- A recording allows the vet to hear the specific quality of the sound, which is helpful since dogs often will not bark on command at the clinic.
- Video evidence lets the veterinarian observe the movement of the chest and throat while the dog is barking or breathing.
- This auditory and visual information helps the vet distinguish between simple laryngitis and more complex conditions like laryngeal paralysis.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
Voice change or hoarseness in dogs can be indicative of laryngeal paralysis or tracheobronchitis. Laryngeal paralysis, more common in middle-aged to older, large-breed dogs such as Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers, presents with voice change, laryngeal stridor, and a dry cough. Severe cases may exhibit exercise intolerance, respiratory distress, and cyanosis; some animals may show generalized polyneuropathy signs. Diagnosis is confirmed via laryngoscopy under light anesthesia, revealing unilateral or bilateral lack of arytenoid cartilage and vocal fold abduction. Tracheobronchitis should be suspected when a characteristic cough develops 5-10 days post-exposure to other susceptible dogs. The cough is easily induced by gentle palpation of the larynx or trachea, with affected dogs demonstrating few other clinical signs unless a secondary systemic infection is present.
Chapter: Respiratory
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1420)