# Swollen cheek area on one side? any ideas? abcess?



## millyspaniel (16 November 2009)

Just bought my mare in from the field to groom and tack up, whilst brudhing her face i noticed a swelling on one side of her cheek bone, feels very fluid like and theres a bit of heat in it, am thinking tooth abcess - it dosent seem to be bothering her though, shes eating and acting normally  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 just called the vet (am in a field on my own, so no-one else to ask) waiting for them to get back to me.
She had her teeth done in august by the vet and the vet said they where very poor. She also has had head/bit problems but this seemed to get better with a recent change of bit, it could all be linked?
Anyone have any other suggestions to what it could be?


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## CPW (16 November 2009)

I have had the vet out to my horse today for something similar, on Friday I noticed a swelling under his jaw just on one side - it has gone down a little over the weekend but has become harder - was quite fluidy on Friday.

The vet thinks it is probably a swollen gland but could be an abcess - will just have to keep an eye on it.  Must be the time of year for it!

I have noticed over the last week riding he has been a bit gobby so suspected something was brewing!


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## sally87 (16 November 2009)

could it be an enlarged salivery gland? not very up with equine anatomy but that would be on my list if it was a human! could be caused by a stone blocking the saliva leaving the gland causing the gland to swell hence the fluid feeling or an infection. however i think your tooth abscess theory is also a good shout.


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## somerset-lass (16 November 2009)

hi,  my boy gets this when the grass is changing. its swollen glands/salivary glands.  had vet out as i was worried &amp; thats what they advised me.  he gets it quite frequnetly during the spring and this time of year.
hope that helps.


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## millyspaniel (16 November 2009)

The vet came out and had a look, he said he dosent think its a tooth abcess as she would be very much in pain, since shes acting normal - grazing, eating hay, drinking etc he seems to think it could be a blow shes taken to the face which is very likely - the little welshie has a habit of lashing out at her........the vet has given me some bute and told me to use it for the next 4 days, he said it should go down after 2 days and if its still there, gets any worse then he will take another look.  He said its not strangles as the lump is in the wreong place plus he took her temp which was normal.  Fingers crossed it goes down soon! 
I mentioned that i thought it may be to do with the grass (they have been moved onto a new field due to a very water logged field!)  - grass glands,  he looked at me as if i were stupid and said he had never heard of it ????


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## VictoriaEDT (16 November 2009)

He has never heard of grass glands? OMG thats worrying!

Swollen parotid salivary glands are very common in horses who have moved grazing or started eating an area of grass that has given them an allergic reaction.


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## millyspaniel (16 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
He has never heard of grass glands? OMG thats worrying!

Swollen parotid salivary glands are very common in horses who have moved grazing or started eating an area of grass that has given them an allergic reaction. 

[/ QUOTE ] 

I know, thats what i thought, he asked me how i had heard of that because he hadnt!!! i think he was more of a cow vet than a horse vet  
	
	
		
		
	


	




I do think its grass glands the more i read about it - the hamster cheek appearence etc.........just hoping it goes soon.


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## VictoriaEDT (16 November 2009)

usually gras glands are behind the mandible (lower jaw). To me hamster cheeks suggest either impacted feed, fractured tooth, displaced tooth, retained cap which has displaced. The swelling is on the maxilla or mandible (google it to find where this is!) and it eventually bursts then this would usually be an apical (root) abcess


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## VictoriaEDT (16 November 2009)

post on here or e mail me a pic of the lump and i will be able to give you an idea as to whether it is dental related or not


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## millyspaniel (17 November 2009)

Good news - the swelling has completeley gone! thank god for that,


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