A salivary mucocele (sialocele) is a pocket of saliva that has leaked from a damaged salivary gland or duct and collected in the surrounding tissue. It is the most common salivary gland disorder of dogs and is rare in cats. The swelling is usually painless and the dog is otherwise well, but a mucocele in the pharynx can block the airway. For the exam you need to recognise the four locations, interpret the aspirate, and know that removing the source gland, not draining the swelling, is what cures it.
Key facts
Salivary mucocele at a glance- Species: almost exclusively dogs; very rare in cats.
- System: gastrointestinal and digestive (salivary glands).
- Cause: leakage of saliva from the sublingual–mandibular gland and duct complex in most cases; the trigger is usually never found, and trauma is the most suspected cause.
- Classic presentation: a soft, fluctuant, non-painful swelling under the jaw or in the upper neck of an otherwise healthy dog.
- Pathology: a pseudocyst, lined by granulation tissue, not epithelium.
- Cure: surgical removal of the affected gland(s); repeated drainage only buys time.
- Not zoonotic or reportable.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention and control
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 3 figures, 3 self-test questions and 14 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
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