Dogs have several salivary glands around the upper neck or between the bones of the lower jaw. The medical terms for dog swollen cheek glands are salivary mucocele, salivary cyst, or sialocele. Dogs swelling is manifested by leaking saliva into the tissue around the gland.
Sialocele is formed when salivary duct ruptures occur, which leads to fluid collecting in the soft tissues. After the leak occurs, the body forms a capsule(sialocele) to prevent the spreading of the saliva around the nearby tissue.
Swelling of the salivary gland is painless and soft mass that occurs under the eyes, tongue, or upper throat.
This condition is usually treated by draining the mucocele or with surgical removal of the affected salivary glands.
What is a Sialocele?
Sialocele is relatively a rare condition in dogs, although this is the most common type of salivary gland problem seen in dogs. Because of the fluid buildup, this swollen structure resembles a cyst. The salivary mucocele is mostly painless mass, soft, and fluid-filled.
Symptoms of Swollen Salivary Glands in Dogs
The most common symptom of sialocele is swelling that occurs in the nearby area of the affected salivary gland. Swelling might be extensive, but your dog may not show any visible signs of experiencing pain.
Additionally, swelling can cause trouble breathing or swallowing, and serious respiratory distress can happen. If you notice that your dog cannot breathe or swallow normally, you should contact your veterinarian.
Eating can also be disrupted because of the blood in their saliva, causing the blood to leak and mix with the saliva.
Another possible scenario is that your dog may have an enlargement of the area underneath the eye or protrusion of the eye.
Various glands or associated ducts may be affected. These are the four most common types of sialocele:
- Zygomatic mucocele
- Pharyngeal mucocele
- Sublingual mucocele
- Cervical mucocele
In the early stages, pain is not visible, but as soon as the salivary gland enlargement occurs, huge pressure is put on the surrounding tissue, and your puppy will experience pain. Your puppy might experience the following clinical signs:
- Difficult breathing
- Dry mouth
- Bleeding from the mass
- Trouble swallowing or trouble eating
- Fever
- Swelling of the neck under the jaw, tongue, or near the eye
Swelling of the Neck/Jaw (Cervical Gland)
This is the most common type, and the saliva is collected under the jaw or in the upper cervical region. The swelling may occur in the middle of the jaw/neck or off to one side, and it originates from the sublingual or mandibular gland.
Swelling Under the Tongue (Sublingual Gland)
Sublingual or ranula mucocele occurs when the saliva is collected on the floor of the mouth. The sialocele might be found in the center or on one side of the sublingual salivary glands and additionally can displace the tongue as the sublingual gland enlarges enough.
Swelling Near the Eye (Zygomatic Gland)
Zygomatic swelling is rarely seen, and the swelling is located beneath the eye, or more specifically, around the zygomatic gland. The eye may bulge, and facial swelling may appear near the eye.
Eating, Swallowing, or Difficulty Breathing (Pharyngeal Gland)
Less commonly, pharyngeal mucocele’s saliva is collected in the back of the throat. The saliva stems from both of the affected glands, mandibular and submandibular glands, and it can disrupt breathing and swallowing.
Causes of Sialoceles
There isn’t only one particular cause of sialocele, and it is usually caused by traumatic injuries to the tissues of the ducts and salivary glands. The most suspected causes are:
- Choke collar injury from pulling
- Oral injury from chewing on an object
- Bite wound from another animal
Sialocele is mainly seen in German Shepherds, Poodles, Dachshunds, and Australian Silky Terriers, although any other dog breed is susceptible to oral and salivary mucoceles.
Diagnosing Sialoceles in Dogs
First of all, ask for professional help. After discussing your pet’s history, the veterinarian will perform a physical examination and look closely at the salivary gland located in the swollen area. There are two phases of diagnosing your puppy:
- Aspiration – Prior to any other procedure, your vet will take a fine needle aspiration to collect the fluid for testing. This procedure is upsetting, so the best solution is to sedate your puppy.
- Lab Analysis – The fluid from the affected gland is generally slightly viscous like saliva, clear, yellowish, or blood-tinged color. Right away after taking it, your vet can notice if it is just saliva and will send the fluid to a lab for further analysis.
- Additionally, the pathologist will determine what kind of cells are present and confirm whether it is sialocele or not. This laboratory analysis will also determine possible infection, cancer, or other potential causes for swelling.
Necrotizing sialometaplasia, also known as salivary gland necrosis or infarction, is very difficult for histopathological distinction. It is squamous metaplasia of the salivary gland lobules and ducts with ischemic necrosis. This condition is common for small dog breeds, like Terriers.
To evaluate the general health status of the dog, the veterinarian can decide to do a chemistry profile and a complete blood count.
Treatment Of Salivary Mucocele
The wait-and-see approach is a conservative treatment approach. Another possible approach is draining the fluid from the salivary gland cyst, although surgical removal is the most successful in dealing with this issue.
Without the proper treatment, mucocele in dogs might become infected and abscessed. Contact your veterinarian if you notice any visible swellings on the head and neck. Salivary mucocele is treated with draining and then surgical intervention.
Ranula, cervical, and pharyngeal mucoceles are treated by removing the sublingual and mandibular salivary glands on the affected area. On the other hand, zygomatic mucoceles are more challenging to address because they are near the eye, and it involves a more complicated surgical procedure.
These are the two methods of treating the affected gland:
- Draining – Until the surgery, a sialocele can be drained to offer temporary relief. However, continued draining can lead to infection or inflammation, and it is not recommended.
- Surgical treatment – This is a delicate surgical procedure that is performed by an experienced board-certified surgeon in the field of veterinary medicine. It is a definitive treatment of the swollen salivary gland and associated ducts. To prevent new fluid accumulation of saliva, temporary drains are placed at the surgical site.
- The surgical procedure is a permanent solution for a swollen salivary gland. It might be a tricky procedure for inexperienced veterinarians because of the many vital vessels and nerves around the tongue that control its movement.
- Even after just one surgery, the patient will be healthy and cured of the salivary gland mucocele.
The following post-operative treatment can include pain medications, antibiotics, or anti-inflammatories.
Prognosis for Dogs With Sialoceles
Complications after treating a swollen salivary gland are very rare, and most dogs go back to their normal life after the removal. Your vet will provide you with recommendations for post-operative care and pain medications.
The only thing you should worry about is to keep clean and dry the incision, drain sites, and any bandages. After the procedure, some follow-up visits to the vet will be necessary.
How to Prevent Sialoceles
Sialoceles are rare in dogs, but dog owners should still prevent injuries that may lead to salivary gland swelling.
Here are a few tips to keep your dog safe and healthy:
- Avoid using choke collars
- Supervise your dog when gnawing on toys
- Train your dog to walk on a loose leash in order to prevent injuries from pulling
- Keep your puppy away from chewing on sticks or other foreign objects.
If you notice something unusual or some injury to your dog’s head or neck, contact your veterinarian. Early detection and treatment of the underlying cause will prevent developing a swollen salivary gland.
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Summary
Swelling of the salivary gland is not a very common health problem in dogs. However, every pet parent should know the basics of this condition and prevent it in every possible way. If you notice any swelling around the salivary glands, immediately ask for professional help.
Related topic: Dog face swollen
*photo by macniak – depositphotos