Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Airedale terrier puppy with jaw joint motion limited by soft tissue
By Ellenberger, Sarah & Snyder, Christopher·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2013·Department of Surgical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Bilateral extracapsular soft-tissue ossification affecting range of TMJ motion in an Airedale terrier.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-month-old female Airedale terrier was brought to the vet because she had trouble moving her jaw, which was first noticed when she was weaned. A CT scan showed that soft tissues around her jaw joint had turned to bone, making it hard for her to open her mouth. Unfortunately, a treatment involving manual stretching didn't help improve her jaw movement. This case is unique as it’s the first known instance of this condition, called false ankylosis, in an Airedale terrier.
People also search for: Airedale terrier jaw problems · dog TMJ issues · treatment for dog jaw stiffness
Abstract
A 3 mo old female Airedale terrier presented with decreased range of motion of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which was first recognized at weaning. Computed tomography (CT) revealed abnormal, bilateral ossification of the soft tissues extending from the region of the tympanic bullae to the medial aspect of the angular process of each mandible. Those ossified structures most closely approximated the location of the lateral pterygoid muscles. The ossified structures were present at presentation and initially manifested as complete ossification on the right side. The condition progressed to complete bilateral ossification by 3 yr of age. The mandibular condyles associated with the temporomandibular joints were malformed. The patient had severe mandibular distoclusion with deviation of the mandible to the left. The left mandibular cheek teeth were positioned in a caudal cross bite. A single treatment of manual stretching and breakdown of the ossified muscle of mastication by placement of tongue depressors within the oral cavity resulted in no increase in TMJ range of motion as measured by the incisal opening. This is the first reported case of spontaneous false ankylosis of the TMJ in an Airedale terrier.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23325597/