Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Locked jaw syndrome in dogs and cats - causes and treatment
By Gatineau, Matthieu et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary dentistry·2008·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Canada·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Locked jaw syndrome in dogs and cats: 37 cases (1998-2005).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs and cats were brought in with locked jaw syndrome, which means they couldn't open or close their mouths. Most of the affected pets were adult dogs, and the most common cause was a fracture leading to joint issues. Treatment focused on addressing the underlying cause, with surgery often needed for fractures. For dogs with muscle inflammation, gentle mouth opening and medication helped. Pets with fractures or muscle issues generally had a good chance of recovery, while those with more serious conditions had a poorer outlook.
People also search for: why can't my dog open his mouth · dog locked jaw treatment · cat jaw problems · masticatory muscle myositis in dogs · dog jaw fracture recovery
Abstract
A consecutive series of cases of dogs and cats with locked jaw syndrome (inability to open or close the mouth) are reported in this study. Dogs were significantly overrepresented (84.0%) and adult dogs were more frequently affected (81.0%). Temporomandibular joint ankylosis due to fracture was the most common cause (54.0%) of locked jaw syndrome. Additional potential causes of locked jaw syndrome are masticatory muscle myositis, neoplasia, trigeminal nerve paralysis and central neurological lesions, temporomandibular joint luxation and dysplasia, osteoarthritis, retrobulbar abscess, tetanus, and severe ear disease. Treatment of locked jaw is directed towards the primary cause. It is important to treat the tonic spasm in order to minimize periarticular fibrosis. Surgical intervention is recommended for temporomandibular joint ankylosis. Masticatory muscle myositis treatment is initiated by gradually opening the mouth, with medical treatment based on immunosuppressive therapy. Fracture and masticatory muscle myositis are associated with a relatively good prognosis in regard to short-term outcome as compared to animals with central neurologic lesions or osteosarcoma which have a poor prognosis.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18512621/