Treatment Options for Salivary Mucocele in Dogs

For some dogs, a little blood around the mouth or visible in a water dish isn't usually isn't a big deal. After all, dogs chew. And many of them love to chomp on a variety of rawhide toys. However, this bit of blood might indicate a more serious condition known as salivary mucocele in dogs.

Overview

A salivary mucocele in dogs occurs because of a saliva leak into tissues in the dog's mouth, PetPlace.com reports. The mucocele is actually a layer of granulated tissue that makes ups the lining of a pocket that develops around a salivary gland or salivary duct.

Dogs have salivary glands under their tongues, under their ears, and in the rear portion of their mouths. Once a salivary gland produces saliva, it goes through a salivary duct to the mouth, where it kick starts digestion. If a gland or duct gets damaged, usually by some type of trauma, fluid leaks into surrounding tissue and collects. A mucocele develops.

A mucocele is essentially the result of an inflammatory process that starts when the dog's body reacts to the irritation granulation tissue produces. According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, owners will note the appearance of swelling in the dog's mouth or neck as the leakage and the inflammatory process continue in tandem. Although salivary mucocele in dogs isn't linked to a pet's age, certain breeds that develop it more often than others. They include the German Shepherd, Australian Silky Terrier, Poodle, and Dachshund.

While symptoms vary according to which type of salivary mucocele is present, dogs can have trouble eating, experience life-threatening respiratory distress, or bleed during or after chewing. Swollen areas in or around the mouth and throat are common.

Treatment

While some veterinarians attempt to periodically drain fluid from a mucocele, the treatment that experts consider the most effective is surgery. The most appropriate procedure varies according to which of several main types of salivary mucoceles a dog develops. A course of antibiotics after any surgery is standard.

Ranula and pharyngeal mucoceles. Vets use a technique known as marsupialization to treat both these types of mucoceles. They turn a closed cavity into a permanent open pouch so that any saliva leakage will drain directly into the dog's mouth without swelling occurring. Over time, this permanent opening usually shrinks.

Cervical mucocele. The standard procedure is removal of the mandibular salivary gland and the associated duct, which runs from under the ear to an opening under the tongue. Vets use an incision behind a corner of the dog's jaw and also remove the sublingual salivary gland. In cases of severe swelling, they sometimes have trouble figuring out which side is the culprit and end up removing glands on both sides without incident.

Zygomatic mucocele. This is a very rare kind of mucocele. Vets must approach surgery with care since the zygomatic salivary glands, located under a dog's eye, are tiny. Affected dogs typically experience swelling of the eye. In some cases, the eye actually bulges out of the socket.

When surgery for salivary mucocele in dogs is performed by a qualified surgeon, complications are infrequent. However, the most common are infection and the breaking open of a surgical wound. Some dogs experience unintended closure of an opening created by surgery. Others have fluid accumulation and swelling at the site where the vet removed a salivary gland.

Sources:

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/salivary-mucocele-in-dogs/page2.aspx

http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/HealthConditions/SmallAnimalTopics/SalivaryMucocele/