# Blocked Salivary Gland Vs Enlarged Lymph Node



## BronsonNutter (9 February 2013)

Anyone got any experience of either?

Wibs has got a swelling on the underside of his mandible, it's quite solid feeling, but doesn't seem to be causing him any pain on palpation. Also fixed in place. I don't know quite how long it's been there because I only got back from uni yesterday and it's not visible so no one had noticed it.

At first I thought it was a swollen mandibular lymph node, but it's only on one side and none of his other lymph nodes are up - which I would expect to happen in an infection? He otherwise seems well in himself - no snotty nose etc. 

A friend suggested it might be a blocked salivary gland, and so I've given him a drench of salt water (Wibs, not friend!) How common are these? I've never heard of them occuring before, but having done a quick google have concluded that they can happen (good start ), but there is not a lot of info about them.

How long would you continue drenching for before getting the vet out? Obviously, if he needs the vet I will get them, but I am loathe to pay a call out fee if they're only going to tell me to carry on drenching for a few more days! But on the other hand I am paranoid about lymphomas etc - but then surely he would seem more poorly?


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## Rebels (9 February 2013)

Well,my youngsters reached a small golf ball before bursting in a very messy way. Vet reckoned blocked lymph node and recommended hot towels on it to draw it out. May help?


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## BronsonNutter (9 February 2013)

Thanks Rebels! Did your youngster have any other symptoms other than the swelling? 
Wibs' isn't that swollen yet; it's probably about the size of a large grape atm.


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## Rebels (9 February 2013)

Nope, happy healthy and eating well at the time, I was just panicking in case it was strangles but vet was unfussed and said common in young animals and those building an immunity to a new bug etc. It started very small and just grew and grew, solid, wouldn't move around, not painful and was just under his jaw. Then it exploded. Lots of pus later it healed really quickly with no scar. I recommend clipping round it, easier to keep clean if it pops!


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## glenruby (9 February 2013)

I wouldn't worry about it tbh. Is it attached to the bone or soft tissue? Lymphomas are fairly rare in horses tbh and would be bottom of the list of differentials at the moment - I think that's the vet student in you! Don't jump to conclusions. Lol! 
It's not uncommon for animals to get single mildly enlarged lymph nodes as a result of local infections. As for blocked salivary glands - very rare in horses so again not a major differential. Would usually be accompanied by other signs.


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## BronsonNutter (10 February 2013)

Rebels - thanks, that's a relief! He's not been out anywhere lately, nor in contact with new horses. We did get strangles in the summer, but Wibs never came down with it, nor is the swelling in the same sort of place that I would expect for strangles; it's more sort of under the tongue, on his head, rather than the guttural pouch/head-neck-junction area (amazing terminology, hope my lecturers don't see that )

Glenruby - it's fixed onto the soft tissue; when he swallowed it moved with his tongue?  And yep, I think I've got more paranoid since starting this course - the more things I learn the more 'wrong' things I keep spotting with my animals (and myself, when I decided to listen to my own heart ) So just a case of wait and see, do you reckon?


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## glenruby (10 February 2013)

Yep, wait and see I'd say!


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## Oberon (10 February 2013)

Obi had a blocked salivary gland in 2010.

I bedded him down before my night shift at 20.00 and he was fine.

Came back after work at 8am to find he hadn't eaten his net or feed. He was making a slopping noise from his mouth and he had liquid running from his mouth.

I freaked out thinking it was grass sickness and called the vet, who suspected choke.

He gave him a shot of something and said to watch him for a few hours and see if he started eating.

After three hours he started making the slopping noise again, so we took him in to the horspital to scope him.

Vet then phoned to say after we'd gone he went in the field and started eating grass, so they decided to wait and see.

Vet did his teeth and said they were gappy but nothing unusual for a horse his age (24 at the time).

I noticed the underside of his jaw looked full - like his tongue was pushing down?

The next day the vet reported the swelling was bigger and he suspected a salivary gland infection - which he said was as rare as hen's teeth.....

He had a week of antibiotics and he was fine.

What I wish I had known then was that infections in the skull/sinuses are one of the signs of Cushing's disease. I can look back and say 2010 (with hoof abscess, salivary gland infection and leg cellulitis) was when his Cushings must have started.

As it was - I reviewed his diet and boosted his immune system and he had no other problems until I got him formally diagnosed last spring.


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## BronsonNutter (11 February 2013)

Thanks Oberon - Wibs is not quite 8 yet so I highly doubt it will be an indication of cushings in his case (although he is fluffy enough ).  He's been eating up, drinking, not dribbling or making any wierd noises, and fine to ride - just seems his usual self apart from this lump!

Back off to uni tonight so will leave him in mum's capable(?) hands with strict instructions to keep an eye on it.


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## BronsonNutter (3 March 2013)

Just a quick update - this has burst out under his jaw!






More cyst-like than an abcess apparently (I am back at uni so mum is on nursing duties!)
He's had a course of anti-bs, a few butes, and is apparently still fine in himself (hacking out etc happily, even tried to canter off with mum yesterday!). Hopefully it will all just drain off and then disappear now - fingers crossed!


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## Rebels (4 March 2013)

Looks the same as my lad, it should burst messily then just go.


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## SassyDoll (12 August 2014)

"What I wish I had known then was that infections in the skull/sinuses are one of the signs of Cushing's disease. I can look back and say 2010 (with hoof abscess, salivary gland infection and leg cellulitis) was when his Cushings must have started."

Me too!   I had no idea that my 25 yr old Connemara mare had Cushings till we had a very bad sinus infection after years of the other things listed above and she was tested for it.   She otherwise didn't have the regular Cushings symptoms of being overweight, long har etc.

I was searching online for an answer to my other mare's problem though and registered here to see if someone could help.  Almost two weeks ago, she developed a bone like swelling in the side of her jaw, just below her jowl.   It was extremely itchy and we thought she had gotten stung by a wasp, etc.  

The itch has gone and the swelling has reduced from the size of half an orange to about a large egg, but it is still hard as bone.  It has a tiny bit of heat but no obvious pain.  The vet checked it initially and also thought it was a bug bite.  (I'm in Canada)

She eats well, no foul smell, and is not uncomfortable.  Someone suggested it might be a blocked salivary gland, which brought me here when I searched those words.

I've treated with cortisone cream to reduce the itching, and antihistamine for the swelling.  It doesn't look like an abscessed tooth, etc.

I will post a photo if someone can explain how. ;-). Thanks for any feedback on this.


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