If you’ve noticed a change in your Shih Tzu’s bark, you might be wondering can a Shih Tzu lose its voice? Yes, it can. There are a few reasons this might happen, and they shouldn’t be ignored.
Can a Shih Tzu Lose Its Voice?
A change in your Shih Tzus voice can range from not a major deal to something you need to deal with right away.
Here are a few reasons your Shih Tzu’s voice might change or they might lose their voice.
Excessive Barking
I had a friend that had a Shih Tzu and that dog was a barker.
It would bark all the time at everything.
The barking was kind of an issue with neighbors and everyone else.
Well, she went on a week’s vacation and she boarded her dog.
As expected, this caused the Shih Tzu to bark even more.
In fact, I guess it barked non-stop the entire time she was gone.
When she got back, her Shih Tzu had lost its voice.
Basically, her pup gave itself laryngitis.
Luckily or unlucky depending on how you look at it, this inflammation of the vocal cords is temporary.
So, within a few days, her Shih Tzu was back to its loud, barking self.
There are some other causes for a Shih Tzu to lose their voice, so if yours isn’t an excessive barker and loses its voice out of the blue for no apparent reason, you’ll want to see the vet right away.
Some of these causes include the following…
Trauma to Their Neck Area
If your Shih Tzu has suffered any kind of trauma to their neck they might lose their voice.
This most often happens if you use a collar and leash on your Shih Tzu.
Their necks are delicate and can easily be damaged.
This happens when you pull on the leash or you yank the leash back causing it to tighten on their necks.
Your Shih Tzu has a hyoid bone at the base of their tongue.
By yanking on a leash, this bone can break.
This could lead to them not barking.
You’ll need to see your vet immediately if you think this might be the cause of your Shih Tzu losing their voice.
If it is in off hours you might want to consider taking them to an emergency clinic.
Using a dog harness instead of a collar and leash will ensure you never have this issue.
They Have an Upper Respiratory Infection
Just like humans, Shih Tzus can get infections and viruses.
If you have ever had an upper respiratory infection you might have noticed that your voice got scratchy or you may even have lost it altogether.
If you had a bad sore throat to go along with the infection, you may have stopped talking unless necessary due to the pain talking caused.
This can all happen to your dog as well.
If your Shih Tzu has an upper respiratory infection you should see other signs of it as well.
A common sign can include:
- Loss of their appetite
- Being overly tired
- Runny eyes and nose
- Making snorting noises
You will need to take your Shih Tzu to the vet especially if they are having breathing difficulties, so they can perform a physical examination to determine if this is the cause of the lost voice and then prescribe the correct medicine.
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Maybe They’re Just Sad
Shih Tzus can get depressed.
This can be due to the loss of someone in the household or maybe their furry buddy.
Science hasn’t proven this, but if you have a Shih Tzu then there is a chance you have seen it for yourself.
Also, if you are gone a good part of the day and your dog is alone for long periods of time, this can make them sad too and cause separation anxiety.
There are no clinical signs of depression for dogs, but you can pick up pretty easily when your Shih Tzu is not acting their normal happy self.
You might notice that their energy levels are off.
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To Sum it All Up:
As pet parents, we want to give our Shih Tzus the best quality of life possible. That means we need to keep a close eye on any health concern such as common injuries from collars and health issues such as infection. Using good common sense when it comes to the health of your Shih Tzu will keep them living large and safe.
Please Note:
This article is informational only and does not substitute for veterinary advice. Always check with your veterinarian if you are concerned about your Shih Tzu. This article should not be considered in any way as veterinarian advice.
