Help Needed! Jaw is cracking / popping

[elearn]

Herman's jaw has started cracking / popping and it gets loud enough that I can hear it. It happens when he opens his mouth to bite me or yawn or such. I have noticed it the past couple of days and it seems to be off and on.

Any ideas what could cause that?

 

[Baconator]

Could it be TMJ? Not sure if dog's get that or not.

 

[mendomama]

I don't kn now but Mine has been doing the same thing! Maybe it's the weather! LOL!

 

[elearn]

My jaws are popping too because of my TMJ LOL

 

[kazzy220]

Does he have full range of his jaw???

 

[Davidh]

Hopefully it will clear up in a few days, if not I'd have your vet look at it.

 

[elearn]

Does he have full range of his jaw???

yep, he's opening it wide, etc if that's what you mean. just seems to crack when he closes/opens it.

 

[kazzy220]

yep, he's opening it wide, etc if that's what you mean. just seems to crack when he closes/opens it.

OK .. the only reason I asked was because there is masticatory muscle myositis which gradually attacks the jaw muscles and the dog will start to lose the ability to open and close their mouth.

 

[elearn]

OK .. the only reason I asked was because there is masticatory muscle myositis which gradually attacks the jaw muscles and the dog will start to lose the ability to open and close their mouth.

gee thanks... now i will be googling that all night LOL (i'm a worry wart). so far he's opening and closing ok........

 

[kazzy220]

gee thanks... now i will be googling that all night LOL (i'm a worry wart). so far he's opening and closing ok........

OOooppss .... sorry, didn't mean to worry you. Maggie got it twice .. two years in a row. It's not the most common thing and we were very lucky that our vet had had a dog herself who had suffered from it once.

 

[gunnyboy]

My Sarge has been doing this for a few months too. He dosent have a problem eating , barking, pulling on a rope , no pain involved.

 

[Meggs19]

I just posted a nearly identical thread a week ago! Tonka just started having this problem about a month ago. It's not everytime but he does this when he yawns or lunges for a treat with his mouth open. It doesn't seem to cause him pain or anything and does not affect him. I asked my vet and he said that it's nothing to be concerned about if the dog isn't affected or in pain. He said they can get TMJ-like symptoms like humans and even more so with the way their jaw is aligned. If I ever see Tonka having difficulty opening his mouth etc. I will be back to the vet but i'm not going to worry at this point. Tonka is still sassy as ever and tugging at his toys and playing and eating everything in sight!

 

[elearn]

[MENTION=3445]Meggs19[/MENTION] [MENTION=4277]gunnyboy[/MENTION] - i wonder if its caused by tugging and toys???

when i mentioned all hermans joints are popping to my vet she said that he's still growing and didnt seemed concerned about that.

 

[Meggs19]

@Meggs19 @gunnyboy - i wonder if its caused by tugging and toys???

when i mentioned all hermans joints are popping to my vet she said that he's still growing and didnt seemed concerned about that.

Hmmm..I have wondered about that myself. Although, a lot of bullys play rough with toys and tug on them and don't have this. I yelled at my boyfriend to not rough house with him so much since I thought maybe that was doing it to him but he has been tugging and playing since he was a little puppy and never had an issue til now. Tonka is 15 months old. I was thinking of calling a different vet for another opinion. I'm not worried though, I really think it's similar to what some humans experience and has to do with the way a bulldog's face is structured.

 

[loveabully]

I hope everything's ok. Grace kneed Franklin in the jaw once an his jaw was sore for a couple of days he couldn't even chew a frozen strawberry an then in a couple of days it was ok