For centuries disease has plagued the world. Diseases normally target specific locations on the body of living hosts. Sometimes it can be benign and easily treatable. Like most plagues, diseases have caused some individuals excruciating pain and in some cases, it has even led to death. Interestingly, disease affects all species including canines. One disease being Craniomandibular osteopathy (CMO). Like most diseases, CMO targets specific breeds of canines.
Craniomandibular osteopathy, also known as “lion’s jaw,” is a nonneoplastic, proliferative bony disease of the dog affecting primarily the mandible, tympanic bullae, and occasionally other bones of the head. This disease is not a rare disease in the canine population and predominates in Scottish terriers, West Highland white terriers, and Cairn terriers (citation). Most owners are unaware that their pets have acquired or inherited CMO until their canine starts displaying symptoms most commonly associated with pain. According to Stacey Huchkowsky, a …show more content…
At the time, very little was known about the disease and its entirety. Those that were affected were immediately put to rest. As time progressed more sightings of the disease were brought to light. Doctors started recognizing that the disease was breed specific targeting a variety of terriers. By 1967, the disease was thought to be congenital (relating to conditions present at birth, whether inherited or caused by the environment) showing signs of inflammatory cells in some areas of new bone. Not shortly after, the disease was described in a few large breed dogs such as Doberman Pinschers, Labrador Retrievers, and boxers. Lesions are usually confined to the mandible in large breed dogs. The clinical signs in small breed dogs is more complex. For instance, the parietal crest, frontal, lacrimal, and maxillary bones may be affected in small breed canines (Huchkowsky