Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppy Staffordshire bull terrier with head bone thickening and runny
By Travail, Victoria et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Case Report: Idiopathic calvarial hyperostosis and concurrent nasal discharge in a 22-week-old Staffordshire bull terrier.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 22-week-old Staffordshire bull terrier was brought to the vet with a sudden onset of thick, pus-like nasal discharge and seemed very tired. The vet found that the puppy had a fever and pain in the head, along with noticeable swelling. A CT scan showed that several bones in the skull were thickened, and there were signs of sinusitis. The puppy was diagnosed with idiopathic calvarial hyperostosis, a condition causing abnormal bone growth, and was treated with pain medications. After 10 days, the puppy's symptoms improved significantly, although there was still a slight skull asymmetry.
People also search for: puppy nasal discharge · Staffordshire bull terrier skull swelling · dog fever and lethargy treatment
Abstract
A 22-week-old Staffordshire bull terrier presented with acute onset of bilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge and lethargy. Clinical examination revealed pyrexia and pain upon palpation of the head, accompanied by marked asymmetrical swelling. Computed tomography (CT) of the head showed severe thickening of multiple calvarial bones with periosteal reaction, with small defined areas of fluid accumulation and contrast enhancement of the osteopenic areas. There was mild thickening of the mucosa of the frontal sinuses suggestive of sinusitis, fluid in the left nasal passage, choanae, and nasopharynx. Histological examination of biopsies of the bone revealed periosteal reaction with fibrosis, neutrophilic and histiocytic inflammation, and necrosis. Culture yielded negative results. The dog was diagnosed with idiopathic calvarial hyperostosis and medically managed with methadone, paracetamol, and meloxicam. At recheck 10 days later, all clinical signs had resolved except for mild persistence of skull asymmetry. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of idiopathic calvarial hyperostosis in a Staffordshire bull terrier. The presence of bilateral purulent nasal discharge represents a novel clinical sign not previously reported.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41018965/