Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Open-mouth jaw locking in cats and CT scan findings
By Nutt, Anna E et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2018·1 University of Bristol School of Veterinary Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Open-mouth jaw locking in cats: a literature review and use of CT in three cases.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old domestic shorthair cat was brought in because it couldn't close its mouth, a condition known as open-mouth jaw locking. A CT scan showed issues with the jaw joint, leading to surgery that involved removing parts of the jaw to help the cat regain normal function. Two other cats, including a 10-year-old Exotic Shorthair and a 1-year-old Persian, had similar surgeries for the same problem, and all three cats did not experience any further issues with their jaws afterward. This type of surgery has proven effective in preventing the condition from returning.
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Abstract
CASE SERIES SUMMARY: This report summarises and reviews the published cases of open-mouth jaw locking in cats and describes three further cases. Case 1 was a 5-year-old, 5.3 kg male neutered domestic shorthair cat. CT identified changes consistent with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysplasia with osseous degenerative changes, and the cat subsequently underwent bilateral partial zygomectomy with bilateral partial coronoidectomy. Case 2 was a 10-year-old, 6.0 kg male neutered Exotic Shorthair. Aside from a fracture of the left maxillary canine tooth crown and absence of the left maxillary fourth premolar tooth, no abnormalities were found on CT scan. The cat also underwent bilateral partial zygomectomy with bilateral partial coronoidectomy. The third case was a 1-year-old, 4.0 kg male neutered Persian cat. Changes on CT were consistent with bilateral TMJ dysplasia, and the cat underwent staged bilateral partial zygomectomy with bilateral partial coronoidectomy. There was no recurrence of open-mouth jaw locking in any of the cases on long-term follow-up. RELEVANCE AND NOVEL INFORMATION: Open-mouth jaw locking has been reported in cats of a wide range of ages, from 1-10 years. Cats with all skull types (brachycephalic, mesaticephalic and dolichocephalic) may be affected, but brachycephalic breeds seem to be over-represented. A CT scan with the jaw locked in place is recommended for diagnosis and surgical planning purposes; two of the cases reported here document the first cases of TMJ dysplasia in cats to be definitively diagnosed using CT. Trauma and symphyseal or TMJ laxity may also predispose to development of the condition. Partial coronoidectomy and partial zygomatic arch resection performed alone or in combination are generally successful at preventing recurrence. Bilateral partial zygomectomy with bilateral partial coronoidectomy has not previously been reported as a surgical treatment, and is recommended when open-mouth jaw locking occurs bilaterally.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29115902/