March 2007
Dr Gerhard Steenkamp

A 3 month-old Dachshund X Jack Russell Terrier is presented with a unilateral swelling of the right muzzle (Photo1).

The dog also experiences stridor on inspiration but there is no nasal discharge. There is also no history of trauma. On oral examination all the deciduous teeth are present and in there normal positions. You make an intra-oral radiograph of this patient and see the following (radiograph1).

a) What is your clinico-radiological diagnosis?
b) How could you treat this case?


Memo

a) Odontogenic cyst, the most common seen in dogs by the authors are dentigerous cysts.

b) Odontogenic cysts comprise a large group of lesions of which the most commonly seen is dentigerous cysts and to a lesser extend eruption cysts.

Treatment in both cases would consist of creating a bone flap over the lesion and removing the tooth as well as curetting the whole cyst to remove the epithelial lining.

This cystic epithelium is ……………………………….
Eruption cysts (Photo2) are …………………………………………..