Myasthenia Gravis
Canine Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a rare disease your dog can either inherit or acquire later in life. If inherited, it results in poor muscle development and muscles that don’t contract correctly. This poor musculature and structure occurs because of a defect in the number of sodium-transporting receptors throughout the body. The result is that your dog might suddenly and without warning collapse after exercising.
Although canine MG isn’t likely to cause issues with bark suddenly later in life when inherited, it can cause problems if acquired. Dogs with adult-acquired MG often develop antibodies that destroy the sodium receptors on most cells throughout the body. Because sodium is a critical electrolyte, the entire body (including the bark) can be affected).
Scientists aren’t sure what causes sodium receptor destruction. But they do know it causes a significant number of complications throughout a dog’s life. These “side effects” include aspiration pneumonia, neck and head weakness, overall fatigue. Some dogs also develop a condition called “megaesophagus;” the esophagus weakens and grows larger, making it difficult for your dog’s body to move food through the esophagus and into the stomach.
Why does a dog’s bark change?
Although the sound they make may be different, dogs produce sound via vocal cords in a similar way to humans. A dogs vocal cords are located in the throat, specifically in the larynx above the trachea. The larynx is held together by ligaments. Dogs vocal cords are thick, allowing them to bark very loudly.
Also known as the ‘voice box’ in humans, the larynx is lined with mucosa, but it does not have cilia (the tiny hairs which help movement within the ducts). Although the larynx is supposed to have a layer of thin mucus to protect the larynx and help it function, when thicker mucus appears, the lack of cilia means it can be difficult to move it.
Additionally, the larynx is the most sensitive area in terms of coughing. By simply placing a finger on the laryngeal area, we can provoke the swallowing reflex and gagging. This also happens when pressure is placed on the area from outside, such as what happens when a leash pulls against their collar. Take a look at why dogs dry cough and gag to know more.
It is the condition of the vocal cords and larynx which change the dogs bark and cause them to be hoarse (dysphonia) or lose their voice altogether (aphonia). The reasons behind this change in bark tone, volume and intonation can be due to various pathologies or other circumstances. We should note the difference between a sudden change in a dogs bark or a progressive development of hoarseness.
Below, we look at individual reasons why a dog bark changes in more detail.
When the laryngeal mucosa become inflamed and swollen, it is known as laryngitis. The main symptom of laryngitis in dogs is a change in the dogs bark, usually becoming hoarse or being lost altogether if there is sufficient inflammation.
Pathological causes of laryngitis in dogs are varied. Acute infections are some of the most common. Whether viral, bacterial or fungal, when an infection reaches the larynx, the inflammation leads to hoarseness, often exacerbated by high mucus production. When the dog is immunosuppressed for whatever reason, this can also lead to inflammation in the larynx as the immune system tries to fight infections.
There are some common infections which can make a dogs bark become hoarse. One such infection is kennel cough in dogs. This is an infectious form of bronchitis which can be spread easily to other dogs. This and other respiratory infections in dogs should be suspected if other dogs in your family start losing their bark.
Treatment of laryngitis will depend on the underlying cause. For example, bacterial infections may require antibiotics, whereas treatment of viral infections are usually limited to symptom management.
Another reason for laryngitis in dogs and a change to your dogs bark is excessive barking. If your dog barks all night or seems to bark at nothing very easily, they can become hoarse. This is similar to humans speaking too much or shouting in a loud area.
The reasons why a dog barks a lot are multifaceted. Some dogs have a predisposition to barking due to their genetic inheritance, with some breeds being naturally more vociferous than others. This is only a small part of why dogs bark. Their socialization, their experience, their treatment, their routine and much more influence how much noise they make.
If a dog is bored and frustrated, they will bark at any stimulus which enters their environment. This is because they are lacking mental stimulation. If they have been poorly socialized, they will bark at anything which comes near them due to a fear of the unknown. Sometimes there might be exceptional circumstances which results in the dog barking a lot, such as during a storm or similar traumatic event.
Since the result can be inflammation of the larynx and a hoarse bark, we should find out how to treat the underlying problem. If you are unable to determine or treat the problem, you should speak to a dog trainer or canine ethologist.
But sometimes the dog has stopped barking or becomes hoarse without sustained vocalizations such as barking or coughing. In these cases, the dog may be facing laryngeal paralysis. This disorder mostly occurs in geriatric senior dogs which are large in size. It is a more common health problem in breeds such as the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Irish Setter and Saint Bernard, among others. In breeds such as the Siberian Husky or the English Bull Terrier, it is considered a hereditary defect.
The clinical picture of laryngeal paralysis is composed of the following symptoms:
Our veterinarian can diagnose this condition by direct observation of the vocal cords with the help of a laryngoscope. The vocal cords will appear joined in the middle, when they should be separated. This manages to narrow the respiratory passage at larynx, causing hoarseness. Treatment involves surgical intervention. In some cases, the vocal cords will need to be removed and the dog will stop barking permanently.
There are many different symptoms of gastrointestinal disease in dogs. While vomiting and diarrhea are common, there are many others which may not be as directly obvious.
Canine gastritis, acid reflux and other digestive issues can cause the dog to vomit gastric acid. Since the larynx is located at the back of the throat, it is possible vomiting and acid reflux can cause harm to the vocal cords. The result is the dog becoming hoarse, especially if the problem is chronic. Treating the underlying reason for the gastrointestinal issue will be the way to treat the problem.
Although inflammation can occur due to viruses and other more common pathologies, it is also possible neoplasia can develop on the larynx. In these cases, they are known as polyps as they are abnormal growths which develop from mucosa. Polyps may develop as a result of excessive barking or even due to damage caused by a foreign object entering the throat.
Both benign and malign tumors (cancer) can also develop on the larynx. In these cases, you will likely observe other symptoms in addition to hoarseness in the dogs bark. You may see blood coming from the dogs mouth and may eventually see a weakening of their entire organism. Although laryngeal polyps and cancers are rare in dogs, they can be fatal[1]. This is another important reason why it is so important to take the dog to a veterinarian if our dogs bark changes either suddenly or progressively.
This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to My Dogs Bark Has Changed, we recommend you visit our Other health problems category. References
1. Sugimoto, K., Kanda, T., Mitsui, I., Miyabe, M., & Maeta, N. (2020). A laryngeal inflammatory polyp in a miniature dachshund. Veterinary Medicine and Science, 6(3), 342-347.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/vms3.275
Obstructive Airway Disease
An inclusive and generalized term, Canine Obstructive Airway Disease (OAD) is often used for conditions in which the vet suspects that something is blocking the tracheal opening, the trachea itself or the back of the throat. Regardless of where the airway obstruction is, the condition can cause severe degradation to the voice as a side effect.
If your vet diagnoses OAD, further testing should reveal the source or area of the problem. One of the most common causes is food pieces, bone shards, or even pieces of couch stuffing, clothing, and toys that become lodged in your dog’s throat on the way down. Identifying and removing these will usually ameliorate the issue.
Growths can also cause OAD, especially if they swell large enough to block off the airway partially. Whether the growth is malignant or benign, its presence means that it could increase in size quickly without further treatment. Fortunately, many growths are benign and can be removed.
¿Why Does A Dog’s Bark Change?
After so many years of owning your dog, you are well familiar with the pitch of your dogs bark, and therefore, you can quickly recognize any changes, so now youre likely wondering what causes a dogs bark to change. Does a dogs bark change as he ages? Can dogs develop a hoarse voice as it happens to humans? These are all good questions. If your dogs bark has changed and its seeming to persist, you may want to seek help from your vet, changes in a dogs barking can be due to underlying medical problems.
If you are wondering whether a dog can develop hoarseness from barking too much, consider that the answer is yes, dogs can get hoarse from over barking because they have strained their vocal cords.
This is often seen in dogs who are boarded, kenneled at the groomers or at the vet or dogs who are in new surroundings which triggers them to become hyper vigilant, and thus, engage in lots of barking.
In these cases, the hoarseness resolves in just a few days if you are able to keep your dog calm and quiet. Your best bet is to stop your dog from barking for about five days or so, so that his vocal cords can get some well deserved, rest.
If your dogs barking is triggered by outdoors noises, you may find it helpful to play some white noise so that they are muffled. If the barking is triggered by outside sights instead, you may want to place a blind or curtain so to block your dogs view, suggests veterinarian Dr. Fiona.
If your dog is getting older, you may wonder whether a dogs bark changes with age. The truth is that, no, hoarseness in dogs doesnt typically happen with age. If your senior dogs voice has changed recently, you may want to see your vet, as this can be indicative of some type of change that is affecting the way your dogs vocal cords are functioning, explains veterinarian Dr. Lucy.
There are several medical conditions that can impact the dogs vocal cords to such an extent to cause changes to the dogs barking sound. Not coincidentally though, the chances of developing several of these conditions heightens as the dog ages.
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So while old dogs dont develop a change in their barking sound simply because they are getting older, its important to consider that senior dog are prone to developing medical conditions that cause voice changes, but in this case, theyre secondary to these conditions. A sudden voice change in an elderly dog is therefore something worthy of investigating with the help of your vet.
As a dog ages, the muscles that control the voice box may weaken and ultimately lead to a neurological condition known as laryngeal paralysis. Dogs with laryngeal paralysis develop several symptoms that affects their airway and voice. Affected dogs may be coughing and gagging while they eat or drink, pant heavily, have trouble exercising and may develop a voice change.
Dog owners in particular often notice a raspy sound when their dog is heavily panting. This sound tends to occur because the airway is tighter than normal due to the laryngeal muscles not opening as they should. Some dogs may even develop problems breathing and can even faint.
Laryngeal paralysis is mostly found in large breed dogs that are middle-aged or older and it tends to have a gradual onset over time. The condition can occur secondary to underlying conditions that weaken the dogs laryngeal muscles such as hypothyroidism, Addisons disease or cancer.
In moderate cases, the condition can be managed by preventing triggering events, but in severe cases, dogs may need surgical intervention. Surgery to treat laryngeal paralysis is known as “laryngeal paralysis tie back” or more technically, arytenoid lateralization.
Anything that can cause irritation to the dogs vocal cords can change a dogs voice. For example, an upper respiratory tract infection such as kennel cough, a grass awn stuck in the throat or trauma to the throat as seen in collapsing trachea affecting small dogs, can cause a certain extent of hoarseness, but these conditions are often accompanied by coughing.
Sometimes dogs may develop masses that cause local irritation to the voice box and therefore voice changes. The masses can be benign such as innocent polyps or in some cases they may be malignant such as cancer of the larynx of trachea.
As seen, the causes for a dogs voice change can be several. Unless your dog has barked a whole lot and gets better with a few days of “rest” from barking, you may want to see your vet to find out the underlying cause for your dogs voice change.