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At just three months, little Dottie was referred to our Dentistry team for investigation of a significant swelling on the left side of her upper jaw (maxilla).  Even though her face was noticeably uneven, Dottie herself was still bright, playful and happy at home.

When our Dentistry Resident, Georgina, examined Dottie, she found a firm swelling in the upper jaw, and two of her baby teeth had been pushed out of position. To find out exactly what was going on, Dottie was placed under a general anaesthetic so the team could carry out a detailed oral examination and a CT scan (a 3-D imaging scan that lets us see inside the jaw).

The scan revealed a large mass inside the upper left part of her jaw. Within it were several abnormal tooth-like structures, a fluid-filled (cystic) component and surrounding soft tissue. The mass had pushed nearby permanent tooth buds (adult teeth still forming beneath the gum) out of place, expanded the surrounding bone and extended toward the nasal passage. From these findings, the team suspected a benign odontogenic tumour – a non-cancerous growth that develops from the same tissues that form teeth.

Surgery was performed through the mouth to remove the mass. Two baby teeth and two developing adult teeth were also removed, the surrounding bone was carefully reshaped, and the site was closed with dissolvable stitches.

Samples of the mass were sent to the laboratory for analysis. The results confirmed a benign odontogenic tumour, on the spectrum between an ameloblastic fibro-odontoma and a complex odontoma. An odontoma is a non-cancerous growth made up of the same tissues that normally form a tooth – enamel, dentine and pulp – but arranged abnormally. These growths can occur while teeth are developing in young animals. They may cause swelling in the jaw or stop teeth from erupting normally, but importantly, they do not spread to other parts of the body. Once fully removed, surgery is usually curative.

Dottie recovered beautifully. She was comfortable after surgery and started eating again shortly afterwards.

Follow-up with Dottie’s family confirms she is doing exceptionally well. Her facial contour has already returned completely to normal, with no visible sign of what she went through. Although she will be missing a couple of adult teeth in that area, this is not expected to affect her comfort or quality of life.

Facial swellings in puppies can understandably be alarming, but not all masses are malignant. With advanced imaging and appropriate surgical management, outcomes can be truly transformative, as Dottie’s story demonstrates.