Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ means big (macro-) mouth (stoma). Usually, this condition presents as the corners of the lips extending far into the cheek, giving the animal an appearance like the Joker.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This condition is rare in animals, but can technically affect any species!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Unfortunately, the cause of macrostomia is unknown, similar to many other congenital malformations. However, the basic problem is incomplete fusion of the ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ (lower jaw) and ๐ฆ๐๐ฑ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ (upper jaw) during development. In humans, it is suspected to have a genetic link in some cases!
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
One of the biggest problems for young animals with this condition is that their mouth is so large they cannot adequately seal their lips to produce a suckling action. Essentially, this means that these animals are unable to nurse from their mother, leading to starvation. If the animal survives to adulthood, it will continue to have difficulty eating, because much of its food will fall out of its mouth!
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
In human medicine, there are plastic surgery procedures that can be used to close the excess mouth opening. However, animals with this condition are typically euthanized due to poor prognosis.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) Some cool photos of a lamb with macrostomia!
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Buonocore S. Macrostomia: A Spectrum of Deformity. Annals of Plastic Surgery 2014; 72(3): 363-368.
Photos 1-4 from the Livestock Born Different Facebook group used with permissionโฆ unfortunately I lost the name of the producer! But a big thank you to them!
