Why some dogs bark differently, according to a veterinarian

A dog from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam has gone viral online because of its unusual bark, which many netizens compared to hiccups, wheezing, or even the sound of a turkey.

In Kuya Kim's report in "24 Oras" on Thursday, instead of the loud and intimidating bark people usually expect from a guard dog, the animal produced a raspy, broken sound that quickly became the subject of memes and jokes online.

Experts say dogs and wolves came from the same ancestor, but unlike dogs, wolves do not bark and instead communicate through howls.

Some experts believe dogs developed barking as a way to communicate more effectively with humans through domestication.

According to experts, a dog's bark can carry different meanings depending on its tone, pitch, and speed, ranging from alertness and excitement to warning signals and distress.

"Kapag ang tahol ng aso ay mataas at mabilis, nagbibigay ng sign na sila ay alert. Kapag naman sila ay mabagal at malalim, ito ay nagibigay ng babala," said Dr. Glenn Albert Almera, a veterinarian.

While some dogs are known for powerful barks, experts said that certain breeds, such as the basenji, rarely bark at all and instead produce sounds similar to yodels or howls because of differences in their larynx or vocal cord structure.

According to veterinarians, these anatomical differences may also explain the unusual "wheezing" or hoarse bark heard in the viral dog video circulating online.

"Una, ang brain nito. Bark sound and quality may kinalaman sa genetics and sa anatomical structure. So magkakaiba ang tunog na pinaproduce ng mga large breed kaka small breed. Specifically, lalo na 'yung mga short nose o yung mga pango 'yung ilong," Almera said.

Almera also said the dog may possibly have a congenital deformity, or a condition present since birth, affecting its vocal chamber or airway structure.

"Any deformity from the development nila during pregnancy ng mommy hanggang paglabas, tulad ng cleft palate in the larynx, it can be tumor din. It can also be for development," Almera explained.

"Any facial structure na kulang na related sa buong vocal chamber could really develop into different bark sound. Any foreign body on the upper digestive tract that is causing inflammation that would cause na mag-stricter 'yung kanilang daluyan ng hangin o pagkain, nearby structure like the nasal cavity can develop into different sound," he added.

Almera advised pet owners to bring their dogs to a veterinary clinic if they notice sudden changes in barking sounds to determine whether the cause is a foreign body obstruction, or possibly a viral or bacterial infection affecting the dog's vocal chamber and airway organs. —Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA News