Information About Salivary Glands in Dogs

A dog's salivary glands can become obstructed by bacteria, or by foreign bodies that the dog has eaten. If your dog has a bacterial obstruction, or has swallowed an object, he will lose his appetite. He also might vomit and develop a fever. Dogs aren't affected by salivary gland disorders as often as cats. But certain dog breeds, such as poodles and Spaniel breeds, are susceptible to this condition. Dogs that do have salivary gland problems are usually 10 to 12 years old.

  1. Spit

    • The salivary glands make spit, or saliva. The saliva empties into the mouth through ducts, which are openings. Dogs and humans need saliva because it helps with chewing and swallowing and keeps the mouth moist. Spit contains antibodies that clean the mouth and kill germs.

    Problems

    • Problems can occur if one of the ducts that conducts saliva from a salivary gland to the mouth is obstructed, causing saliva to accumulate. A pouch will form. If this isn't treated, the pouch can move under the dog's neck. This does not pose a serious health risk, but it might look funny. Some dogs tend to collect saliva under their tongue. This causes the tongue to be moved to one side or another.

    Cysts

    • Sometimes cysts form on a dog's salivary gland. This kind of cyst is called a salivary mucocele or sialocele. The cyst develops in the tissues that enfold the canine salivary gland. The cyst then fills with liquid, which is called mucoid saliva. The dog might begin to cough because the large glands put stress on his trachea or larynx. Dogs also can suffer from infected salivary glands, and the parotid gland near the ear can swell when the dog's collar is too tight.

    Tumors

    • When a tumor appears in the salivary gland, this is the result of an atypical growth in the gland, which has spread to another part of the dog's body. Common salivary gland

      tumors in dogs include carcimonas such as mucoepidermoid carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and complex carcinoma. Your dog's eyes might protrude if he develops this kind of tumor. He might not eat at all and lose weight as a result. In addition, the dog's lymph nodes might be swollen.