lock jaw

Question
My 1.5 male rottie has just been to the vet and I was told he has lockjaw---very swollen jaw, drooling----is this common in this breed and this youg a dog?

Answer

Hi Antoinette,

Lockjaw, or "Tetanus" as it's also called isn't a breed specific disease, any dog of any age can get it, though it's not a common disease.

Tetanus is a disease caused by the effect of a nervous system poison. The nervous system poison is produced by the bacteria Clostridium tetani. The bacteria is found in soil and as part of the normal bacteria of the intestinal tract of mammals. Outdoor pets are more at risk for developing tetanus than are indoor pets. Good management to prevent skin wounds by providing clean, safe environments decreases the likelihood of injury and resultant tetanus. Early and thorough wound cleaning, especially in tetanus-prone wounds, can prevent infection. Any deep, contaminated wound should be treated with antibiotics.  

While nursing your dog back to health,your dog might feel more comfortable in a darkened room with as little excitement as possible. Clenched jaws can be problematic for feeding so it's a good idea to make his food into a gruel and feed him small amounts slowly. Make sure your dog has soft bedding to prevent bedsores from developing. Luckily, improvement is generally happens within the first week of receiving medication, but complete recovery can easily take a month.

You can read more about Tetanus here:

http://pethealth.petwellbeing.com/wiki/Tetanus_-_Lockjaw

Best of luck,

Patti