Pereg has lost her voice

Pereg's bark sounded a bit strange yesterday evening, duller than usual, and now it is just a squeak. She does not have anything stuck in her throat, is acting perfectly normally - eating and drinking with no sign of difficulty, and peeing and pooing as normal, but she has definitely lost her voice. It is not bothering her but is worrying me a bit.

I know that for the last few days she has not been wearing her harness due to a mini flare-up of a skin condition in one axilla which requires the application of cream three times a day - the harness does not rub her but it would get rather icky from the cream as I spread it over the margins of the small patch, so I have been clipping her tether onto her collar.

She wears a fairly wide, well padded sem-slip collar, and even when when the tether or a leash is pulled so the collar is as tight as it will go I can still get my hand under it [down to my thumb] so it is far from being too tight. It also sits above her larynx so cannot have been pressing on it.

I have put her harness back on - if it gets to icky I will change it for a clean one and wash this one, but even though my Vet has assured me that not only does the harness not rub her in that area I still stop using it on the rare occasion that the flare-up occurs. It does not irritate and she never scratches it, and goes away after about three days - it has mostly gone now - but I usually leave the harness off for another couple of days once it has finally gone, and clip the tether or leash onto her collar, and she has never lost her voice before.

Does anyone have any suggestions please?

I haven't got a clue but poor old Pereg hope she is better soon

First suggestion phone your vet and ask him.

Secondly if she doesn't usually be tethered to a collar - I think that could have caused it even if you don't think it presses in the right place. I've had dogs who have choked/coughed dramatically and then sounded hoarse after just one unexpected strong lunge while on a collar and lead. She might have done this while you weren't looking.

Just read this on googling dog lost her voice and squeaking!

I note you said Pereg's barking and whining after a fit seems to go on forever? Maybe she has just strained her vocal chords like we can if we talk or shout too much?

I think that is probably it as apart from Sunday when she was fairly quiet in the evening, she has been barking and whining [and nagging] every evening since the seizures until I gave her a calming pill, and even then it took a while for her to settle.

She definitely is not in any pain eating - went through a large frozen chicken carcass complete with neck and tail a couple of hours ago and showed no signs of soreness or difficulty in swallowing, so no sore throat.

As the schools have now broken up until 1 September she will not be disturbed by the kids walking past every afternoon [and some of the young boys still think it fun to tease her until she rushes around barking] so hopefully she will get her voice back very soon. I do not think it worth bothering Ram at the moment but will definitely phone him if she starts looking unwell or her voice does not return in the next few days.

Ashamed to say I wouldn't be too unhappy if Bella lost her voice at times! And I can think of some who would be DELIGHTED!

God I'm with you there! I would love it if Remus lost his voice! He is a little hoarse after his tube during the general but that's not stopping him. Every time he barks he starts coughing. He doesn't bark at anything going on outside....just at Tonks what he wants her to play or wants something she has got.....which is very frequently!

Sorry....and I meant to say Get Well Pereg!

Oh yeah! Me too! Get well Pereg .... quietly!

It could be bronchitis. I am susceptible to this myself, and the loss of voice is just one of the symptoms. If it is that, you'll notice coughing or retching up gunk, particularly after she's been asleep. It's a nasty, painful infection, but it can be cured quickly and easily with a regular course of antibiotics. You might need steroids to counter swelling if the infection is severe. Check with your vets!

Oh poor Pereg... hope she will have her voice back again soon.. hugs xx