Laryngeal paralysis is a condition in which the muscles that surround the larynx (the voicebox) cease to function properly because the nerves that control the muscles malfunction. Laryngeal paralysis is more commonly found in older large dogs.

Symptoms include difficulty breathing, coughing, gagging and a change in the sound of your dog’s bark. Symptoms generally worsen after exercise or in hot weather. Laryngeal paralysis can lead to aspiration pneumonia if food or other substances get into the lungs.

There are many causes including trauma, nerve ailments and muscle disorders. Laryngeal paralysis can also be inherited. There are also some cases in which the exact cause of the laryngeal paralysis is unknown.

Your vet will likely sedate your dog in order to visually inspect the larynx. Further testing may be performed to determine if there is an underlying condition causing the laryngeal paralysis.

Your vet will generally recommend surgery during which permanent sutures will be put in place to hold the larynx open. Other treatments may be required if it is determined that the paralysis is the result of an underlying condition.

There is no prevention for laryngeal paralysis.

No, you cannot get laryngeal paralysis from your dog.