Why is my dog's mouth not curving up on one side when he smiles?

This sounds like a serious problem, especially given the chronicity. A neurologic problem with the nerves to the face or a neuromuscular problem (facial muscles) may be options. Unfortunately there are many things that could be causing these symptoms. A good place to start is baseline bloodwork to check organ function along with a full neurologic exam by a vet. If your family vet is stumped then referral to a veterinary specialist (internist or neurologist) is indicated. More testing is needed in a case like this in order to know what is the best treatment. Your family vet should be able to provide referral or you can search for a specialist online. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I think I understand what you are trying to describe when you say a dropping jawline. If you are indicating that part of Austin's face is drooping while the other side is normal, than this is normally due to some sort of neurologic condition resulting in paralysis of the facial nerve. It can cause excessive drooling, dropping of food, general asymmetry of the facial musculature, and sometimes issues closing the eye on the affected side of the face. The cause of this condition is often a mystery, though some of the causes that are recognized include significant ear infections, trauma, polys in the nose / mouth, and certain types of cancer. Treatment of this condition is completely based on the underlying cause (if it can be identified) and management of the resulting symptoms. Hope this makes sense.

From what I can see, it look like the lip is drooping. This could be caused by swelling in the area (from trauma, snake bite, infection), nerve damage to the face, head, or neck, broken bones, etc. I would recommend taking Jerry to the vet for evaluation to see what is going on.

Hello. We do see a Bell's Palsy type syndrome, most often referred to as idiopathic facial neuritis, in dogs. I would recommend checking Harley's thyroid levels as hypothyroidism will sometimes cause facial paralysis. Otitis or another inner ear conditions certainly can result is some facial paralysis, too. Sounds like your veterinarian is on the right tract trying to figure out Harley's problem. Hope he is doing better soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Marley! It sounds like he may be suffering from an autoimmune disease called masticatory muscle myositis (MMM). This inflammatory disease affects the chewing muscles in the dog, and causes the muscle around the mouth to atrophy. It becomes painful for the dog to open their mouth. This can be treated with high dose steroids, which can be prescribed by your vet. This condition can cause dogs to not eat and lose weight, so I would take Marley into your vet as soon as you can.

It appears that Hunter is losing his temporal muscles, which is giving that caved-in head appearance. Considering he is also sensitive to the area, I am suscipicious of a condition known as masticatory myositis https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/masticatory-myositis-in-dogs However, this could be due to general muscle wasting. It's expected that some muscle wasting will occur as they age, but if he seems to be losing a lot of muscle, then this could indicate a chronic disease from an infection or cancer. I don't want you to worry about Hunter having a terrible disease, but it's best to have him evaluated by a veterinarian. They will be able to tell if there are any potential major problems and can help narrow-down the cause of this. I hope that helps and Hunter gets better soon.

There is a condition in older dogs called masticatory myositis. It is an auto immune disease where, for some reason, the immune system attacks the muscles of the cheek. In the early stages, it hurts when the muscles of the cheeks move, and it is pain that stops the mouth from opening. Over time, ongoing damage causes scar tissue to from that stops the muscle from stretching. It could be that Brody has this condition, and it is treatable with high doses of steroids. I can't say for certain this is what is causing him pain when he opens his mouth, but you could speak to your vet to see if this could be a cause.