Craniomandibular Osteopathy, CMO

The first signs of this condition are difficulty or discomfort chewing due to thickening and tenderness of the lower jaw. A fever may also be present.

Signs are first recognized in juveniles.

Genetic testing and clinical signs can be used to diagnose this condition.

While affected dogs can suffer from pain or malnutrition during the proliferative phase of CMO, the disease does appear to slow and sometimes completely recede once the dog reaches adulthood.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s CMO result so you can plan appropriate monitoring and treatment.

Feed soft foods if chewing is painful, and avoid hard toys or treats that could worsen discomfort.

Make sure your dog is resting comfortably and stays on their prescribed pain and anti-inflammatory medications as directed.

Some dogs improve as they reach maturity, while others may need ongoing care to stay comfortable.

This mutation was first described in West Highland White Terriers (WHWT), Cairn Terriers and Scottish Terriers.

Penetrance: This mutation has an incomplete dominant mode of inheritance, meaning dogs with one or two copies of the variant are at increased risk of this disease. However, dogs with one copy of the variant likely have less severe clinical signs than a dog with two copies of the variant.

Gene

SLC37A2 (Exon 15)

Inheritance type

incomplete dominance

Clinical category

Skeletal

Citations

1. Hytonen et al 2016

• Australian Shepherd
• Australian Shepherd
• Cairn Terrier
• Cesky Terrier
• Lancashire Heeler
• Miniature/MAS-type Australian Shepherd
• Scottish Terrier
• West Highland White Terrier