Trigeminal Neuritis - Page 1

Hi all. I was wondering if any of you have heard of the above affliction or Masticatory Myostis? This came on very fast. I noticed alot of wet areas on the cement floor where Yette eats in the garage on Wednesday morning. By that evening it was obvious she had a different look to her face, she seemed to be holding her jaw open about a half an inch, but no other symptoms. The following morning before I left to go get my new puppy at the airport, Xtra, I thought she looked a bit swolen along the top of her muzzle as well, and her bottom lip was hanging a bit. I called the vet and scheduled an appointment for the following morning. Xtra was in transit so there wasn't anything I could do that day. So on Friday morning one of the vets I see, not my favorite but okay vet, let me stay with her. She knocked her out so she could exam her mouth close up. Yette can be testy. She couldn't find anything I had suspected, such as a cracked tooth or piece of a chicken wing poking someplace. Her diagnosis was one of the above mentioned problems that are seen rarely in dogs. So Yette is on Pred right now. She seems a bit better. I have noticed though on walks she eats some snow and when it dribbles out the dribble is a yellow color, to me this seems like diluted blood or an infection. I am going to call tomorrow to see what they say about that. Does anyone have any input? Yette still shows no other symptoms, she is still herself..eating etc.

Trailrider, There are several possibilities for the condition your dog is in, including the trigeminal neuritis. These are not uncommon conditions. However, the color of the saliva is of concern to me too because the neuritis is simply an inflammation along the nerve tracts. Pred is the normal medication prescribed, along with supportive care for the dog as is appropriate for the dogs' condition. However, I also wonder what diagnostic tests were done. Bloodwork is in order and should provide some clue to whether an infection is present and/or whether this simply is an inflammatory condition. Also, not a bad idea to consider x-rays if nothing else to rule out some injury as yet unsuspected. So I think it would be definitely wise to speak, if not visit, the vet. The Pred by the way will make the dog more thirsty and that is normal and will get better with time. Also, generally such therapy is only for 3-4 weeks. Good luck.

Is she breathing through her nose. If not, her jaw might be dropped and mouth open to get air. Congestion might me going back to her throat instead of coming out front. The yellow liquid---hodie is right, possible infection---maybe infected sinuses.

Hodie First thanks! Only palpatation of the jaw was done. She did not do any blood work or xrays, which all would have been fine with me. This was not my regular vet I see at this clicic. She said it was idiopathic so I assume she did not think she would find any cause. LMH Thanks also. Yette could breathe through her nose. When she slept her mouth was/ is closed. On another forum a post said this: "Diluted blood or a serosanguinous discharge (yellowish) may be associated with either condition, since infection of the sinus, inner ear or mouth can trigger either one of these ailments. " This seems to make sense as the top of her muzzle (sinus) was showing some swelling by Friday. The good news is whatever it is its getting better. I will still call tomorrow when they are open and ask more questions. I don't think it is her ears, I have had dogs with ear problems before. But I am leaning toward a sinus infection (maybe) because she has a hard constitution and doesn't complain , high pain threshold, she was showing no other symptoms. This was my bee sting dog last summer that swelled up like a Shar Pei. I wonder if something may have been lingering that was low key and came out this way. I am just glad it is getting better. I was scared to death, she was talking Chemo to further surpress her immune system if it were Masticatory Myostis. I don't truly know if I could go there...

I would suggest some minimal bloodwork is in order and I would also elect to give a broad spectrum antibiotic along with the steriod if it was my dog. Again, x-rays might be wise, depending. But since you say it seems to be getting better, maybe that is overkill for now. You did not say how old the dog is. Hopefully this is not any big deal and all idiopathic means is that if this is a trigeminal neuritis or similar nerve inflammatory condition, no one knows what causes it. Hopefully, with supportive treatment it will continue to resolve and the dog will be fine.

hodie Yette turned 9 in October. It is definately better. She was squeeking her toy today and able to carry sticks.Her sinus look more normal too. I will call the vet tomorrow and see what she says about the antibiotics. Thanks again.

These types of conditions often strike older dogs, just as similar conditions happen in older humans. Hopefully she will do just fine with the supportive treatment. Good luck.

Thanks Hodie. I called the clinic but the vet who saw Yette took today off so I left a message for her.

If your dog has a sinus infection you will know it. A dog with sinusitis snores, sneezes mucous and blood, and tries to clear it's air passages with reverse sneezes. It goes on 24/7. They can't blow their noses like we can. You can't miss it. Pray that your dog never gets a sinus infection as most are never cleared and the worst are caused by the aspergillus fungi requiring surgery, tubes and drains making the dog look like a Frankenstein creation.