A puppy named Tyson, a 3-month-old French bulldog, surprisingly regrew his jaw after most of his lower left mandible was removed due to cancer. This is the first documented case of such spontaneous regrowth in dogs of any age or breed, even though it has been observed in children.
Tyson was initially scheduled for cleft palate surgery at Cornell’s Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service, but his primary veterinarian discovered a cancerous tumor on his jaw. Dr. Alexandra Wright, leading Tyson’s care team, described the tumor as an oral papillary squamous cell carcinoma, a type of malignant cancer commonly found in dogs, particularly in young dogs.
Despite the uncertainty of Tyson’s prognosis, his CT scans showed no signs of cancer spreading to other parts of his body, leading to the decision to proceed with surgery. This decision, however, was made with the understanding that Tyson would have to live without a fully functioning lower jaw.
Although it seemed improbable for Tyson’s mandible to regenerate due to the extensive bone removal, the case report suggests that the preservation of a significant amount of periosteum during surgery played a crucial role in the jaw’s regrowth. The periosteum, a membrane covering bone surfaces, contains blood vessels and nerves that support bone growth. Additionally, the early detection of the tumor also contributed to the successful outcome.
Tyson’s new mandible, while technically considered abnormal because it lacks certain features like a mandibular canal and teeth, is almost as functional as the original. Despite some limitations, Tyson has been leading a full and active life post-surgery and has even graduated from obedience class and passed his Canine Good Citizen test.
One of Tyson’s owners, Melissa Forsythe, hopes that Tyson’s case will inspire hope for other dogs facing similar diagnoses. Dr. Wright also believes that Tyson’s case highlights the potential for complete bone regeneration in young patients like Tyson.
The full case report can be found in Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2023) with the DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1281232.
