Can FD cause weak jaw/facial muscles?

[Martha and Lolly (GA)]

Before Lolly was diagnosed with diabetes, her mouth had been dropping. Her lower jaw "drooped" at little, and I could see her bottom lip. I was very disturbed by it, but I thought it was just a symptom of aging, and I never mentioned it on the board. The vet also ascribed it to aging. At two weeks OTJ, her jaw still drooped. But just this weekend, it's started improving. Today, it's still there if you know what she looked like before, but hardly noticeable. I've not seen "slack jaw" mentioned as a symptom, but it appears to have cleared up as the diabetes has gone into remission.

Does anyone know anything about this?

 

[Meya14]

I'd check her mouth and make sure none of her teeth have issues. My non-diabetic cat had a funny facial expression after her upper canine broke, and was subsequently removed. Her lips don't always cover her mouth because of the missing teeth, so it looks like she's snarling.

Other things I've seen is when cats are smelling phermones, they do this thing where they hold their mouths slightly open. That looks something like this: http://www.furpetsandforpeople.com/...om/files/images/Cat Making The Stink Face.jpg

Also, nausea could cause a mouth to remain slightly open. Sometimes you'll see drool or small amounts of foam if they are nauseous.

 

[Martha and Lolly (GA)]

Thanks Meya14. She's not nauseous, no symptoms, plus eating fine. I've seen "the stink face" on some of my cats, you're right, it's when they sense phermones. I found this article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flehmen_response, which is really interesting. They think the word "fellowmen" may come from saxon "look spiteful"

As for teeth, there's no way she's going to let me look at them. She hasn't been favoring one side, and doesn't have bad breath. I don't know what I'll do if it is dental. I spent $2000 on two separate dentals last year for my other cats. I asked the vet, she said it's possible she could have had neuropathy in her jaw muscles, but the vet had never heard of such a case. It's just so coincidental that I noticed it right before the diabetes dx, and it's cleared up two weeks after remission. I guess I shouldn't look a gift cat in the mouth, so to speak.