Sorry for the length but it's been a 4 month ordeal....
I have a 10 year old Basset named Bebe. She has always been healthy with no problems. 4 months ago she developed a swollen lump under her left eye. We immediately took her to the vet. When he raised her lip/jowel, she had a hole in her upper gum from an abscessed molar. This same tooth had abscessed about a year earlier and we treated it with an antibiotic and the swelling went down and everything was normal. This time we decided to have the tooth removed since it seemed that it was going to be a recurring issue. We were referred to an oral surgeon and we made the appointment.
The oral surgeon removed the offending molar along with 3 other teeth that he found problems with during the examination and procedure. She had stitches and had to be put on soft food for two weeks. She was also prescribed Rimadyl for the inflamation. After the procedure, her mouth was very sore and she was unable to fully open it. This was to be expected.
After three weeks, her soreness had gone away but she still couldn't open her mouth fully and when she tried to yawn she would let out a seal barking type of moan. It was better when on the Rimadyl but when we took her off of that, she would lose ground rapidly until after 2 days, she was in severe pain. We took her back to the oral surgeon and he stated that under sedation when he opened her mouth that he saw one of her bottom teeth move. His explanation was that the tooth root was touching the ligament in her jaw. He extracted that tooth at that point. Back on the Rimadyl for two to three weeks after which time, still can't open her mouth fully without severe pain.
At this point the surgeon diagnosed her with arthritis of the jaw, I guess due to her age. She didn't have any problems before the surgery but apparently the arthritis set in overnight (I'm being sarcastic.) My wife and I told him repeatedly that she didn't have arthritis of the jaw before the surgery but he continuted to tell us that it couldn't be anything else.
After about two weeks of continuing the Rimadyl to help ease the pain and symptoms,I was scratching her on the left ear and noticed that she was really pushing her ear into my hand. We took her to the vet and discovered that she had an ear infection. The is significant because at that point the oral surgeon thought that it made sense that if she had an ear infection that it could make it painful if opening the mouth due to the proximity of the ear canal to the mandible in a Basset. We were hopeful. She was given a cortizone shot and an antibiotic. She was better for about a week and then we descended back down the hill with all of the same symptoms.
After another couple of weeks managing the pain and symptoms, we decided to take her to another clinic to get a fresh perspective. The doctor there sedated Bebe and attempted to open her mouth. She cried out even under sedation. The doctor instantly thought that she had masticatory myositis. She started her on Pred and she has gotten marginally better. Two days after starting her on Pred, we noticed that she lost muscle mass on the left side of her head. While this would be consistent with MMM, it typically affects both sides. We've continued on the elevated dose of Pred for 3 weeks now with no new results. Her pain seems to be less but she can still only open her mouth about 2 inches and howls if you try to open it further.
We are taking her to the Mississippi State College of Vetenary Medicine on Monday to have her evaluated completely.
After talking to several other vets over the months, the symptoms don't seem to be consistent with any one thing. Whatever it is, it was obviously triggered from her first tooth extraction.
Possibilities:
MMM typically affects younger dogs. It should affect the 2M fibers in the jaw muscles of both sides.
Dislocated Jaw would typically cause her to display an misaligned bite. But since the specialist saw a tooth move from touching the ligament when opening her mouth, that tells me that everything wasn't in the same place as it was before the first surgery.
Cracked Mandible seems like it could explain all of her symptoms except the atrophy of the muscles. Although if she hasn't chewed on the left side for 4 months, I guess the muscles could waste.
Does anyone on this board have any ideas or possibilities? While I am taking her to the Vet school on Monday, I would appreciate any other ideas that I could bring up to them once we get there.
Thanks in advance for any thing you guys can add.
I have a 10 year old Basset named Bebe. She has always been healthy with no problems. 4 months ago she developed a swollen lump under her left eye. We immediately took her to the vet. When he raised her lip/jowel, she had a hole in her upper gum from an abscessed molar. This same tooth had abscessed about a year earlier and we treated it with an antibiotic and the swelling went down and everything was normal. This time we decided to have the tooth removed since it seemed that it was going to be a recurring issue. We were referred to an oral surgeon and we made the appointment.
The oral surgeon removed the offending molar along with 3 other teeth that he found problems with during the examination and procedure. She had stitches and had to be put on soft food for two weeks. She was also prescribed Rimadyl for the inflamation. After the procedure, her mouth was very sore and she was unable to fully open it. This was to be expected.
After three weeks, her soreness had gone away but she still couldn't open her mouth fully and when she tried to yawn she would let out a seal barking type of moan. It was better when on the Rimadyl but when we took her off of that, she would lose ground rapidly until after 2 days, she was in severe pain. We took her back to the oral surgeon and he stated that under sedation when he opened her mouth that he saw one of her bottom teeth move. His explanation was that the tooth root was touching the ligament in her jaw. He extracted that tooth at that point. Back on the Rimadyl for two to three weeks after which time, still can't open her mouth fully without severe pain.
At this point the surgeon diagnosed her with arthritis of the jaw, I guess due to her age. She didn't have any problems before the surgery but apparently the arthritis set in overnight (I'm being sarcastic.) My wife and I told him repeatedly that she didn't have arthritis of the jaw before the surgery but he continuted to tell us that it couldn't be anything else.
After about two weeks of continuing the Rimadyl to help ease the pain and symptoms,I was scratching her on the left ear and noticed that she was really pushing her ear into my hand. We took her to the vet and discovered that she had an ear infection. The is significant because at that point the oral surgeon thought that it made sense that if she had an ear infection that it could make it painful if opening the mouth due to the proximity of the ear canal to the mandible in a Basset. We were hopeful. She was given a cortizone shot and an antibiotic. She was better for about a week and then we descended back down the hill with all of the same symptoms.
After another couple of weeks managing the pain and symptoms, we decided to take her to another clinic to get a fresh perspective. The doctor there sedated Bebe and attempted to open her mouth. She cried out even under sedation. The doctor instantly thought that she had masticatory myositis. She started her on Pred and she has gotten marginally better. Two days after starting her on Pred, we noticed that she lost muscle mass on the left side of her head. While this would be consistent with MMM, it typically affects both sides. We've continued on the elevated dose of Pred for 3 weeks now with no new results. Her pain seems to be less but she can still only open her mouth about 2 inches and howls if you try to open it further.
We are taking her to the Mississippi State College of Vetenary Medicine on Monday to have her evaluated completely.
After talking to several other vets over the months, the symptoms don't seem to be consistent with any one thing. Whatever it is, it was obviously triggered from her first tooth extraction.
Possibilities:
MMM typically affects younger dogs. It should affect the 2M fibers in the jaw muscles of both sides.
Dislocated Jaw would typically cause her to display an misaligned bite. But since the specialist saw a tooth move from touching the ligament when opening her mouth, that tells me that everything wasn't in the same place as it was before the first surgery.
Cracked Mandible seems like it could explain all of her symptoms except the atrophy of the muscles. Although if she hasn't chewed on the left side for 4 months, I guess the muscles could waste.
Does anyone on this board have any ideas or possibilities? While I am taking her to the Vet school on Monday, I would appreciate any other ideas that I could bring up to them once we get there.
Thanks in advance for any thing you guys can add.
