Craniomandibular Osteopathy

Craniomandibular Osteopathy is a disorder that affects several different skull bones of a growing dog and consists of the bones being enlarged. The symptoms of Craniomandibular Osteopathy usually appear in a dog between the ages of 4 to 8 months of age and the cause is unknown but is believed to be hereditary. Often the dog will have swelling of the jaw, a pain in or an inability to open the mouth, drooling, fever that reoccurs every 10 to 14 days, swollen glands and in some cases the muscles used in chewing may atrophy. There is no known treatment for Craniomandibular Osteopathy but anti-inflamatories and pain relievers are often prescribed. Proper nutrition is necessary and in severe cases a gastrostomy tube may need to be inserted.