Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with open-mouth jaw locking diagnosed by 3D CT scan
By Beam, Rebekah C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2007·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Use of three-dimensional computed tomography for diagnosis and treatment planning for open-mouth jaw locking in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 2.5-year-old spayed female Persian cat was brought to the vet because she couldn't close her mouth. The vet found that her lower jaw was stuck open due to a condition called open-mouth jaw locking, which was confirmed using advanced imaging techniques. To fix the problem, the vet performed surgery to reshape the jaw and used a fat graft to help with healing. The cat recovered well and was able to eat comfortably by the next day. A year later, her owner reported that she was still doing great and hadn't had any more issues with her jaw.
People also search for: cat mouth won't close · open-mouth jaw locking in cats · Persian cat jaw surgery · cat eating problems after surgery
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION: A 2.5-year-old spayed female Persian cat was evaluated for acute inability to close its mouth. CLINICAL FINDINGS: A wry-mouth malocclusion was evident, and the right side of the mandible was longer than the left side. The right mandibular tooth row appeared to be lowered. The lower jaw was persistently maintained in an open position. The presumptive diagnosis was open-mouth jaw locking. Diagnostic imaging with computed tomography and 3-dimensional reconstruction was performed for definitive diagnosis and to achieve a better understanding of the lesions. Imaging revealed locking of the right ramus of the mandible, which was displaced ventrolaterally, causing the coronoid process to impinge on the right zygomatic arch. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: A bilateral partial ostectomy of the rostroventral margins of the zygomatic arches with an autogenous fat graft implantation was performed. The cat recovered without complications and by the following morning was bright, alert, and responsive and eating canned cat food comfortably. One year after surgery, the owner reported that the cat had continued to function well, was eating normally, and had not had any observed locking episodes since surgery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Unlike radiographic imaging, computed tomography may be used to create 3-dimensional reconstructions of structures in cases of suspected open-mouth jaw locking; improve evaluation of the lesions; and improve decision-making and client education for diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17199494/