# Parotid salivary gland swelling.



## sleepingdragon10 (9 June 2007)

Anyone any experience of this in their horses? Lux is allergic to something and the allergy is manifesting itself in this way. Not sure if it's his grazing, his hay, or his feed....although from the research I've done it's more likely to be something in the soil.
Going to see if I can swap fields today and then keep an eye on his glands, see if they go down. 
Think it's going to be a process of elimination to figure out just what is kicking off this allergic reaction. Fingers crossed I can find it.

xx


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## Thistle (9 June 2007)

Are they the ones just behind the jaw/cheek bone, either side of the neck.

One of my horses swells right up sometimes. The vet said that some horses just do that and not to worry.


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## sleepingdragon10 (9 June 2007)

This is the one underneath his jaw. I'm just intrigued by it as I immediately thought of the dreaded Strangles 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 But seems I was worrying over nothing!!


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## Mudsplasher (9 June 2007)

My horse suffers from this  . We were told it was probably because he'd eaten a few oak leaves and not to worry because it was nothing serious. It is also the second year its happened so relax , you're not alone with this .


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## sleepingdragon10 (9 June 2007)

Thank you 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 I know I shouldn't be such a mother hen with him!!


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## Fairynuff (9 June 2007)

My parotid gland came up like a balloon a couple of weeks ago.I had an ultrasound done which revealed a stone blocking the salivary duct! The cure was to drink lots of water, take anti-inflammatory and anti-biotics and wait. It seems to have sorted itself out without having to be cut, small blessing 
	
	
		
		
	


	




. Could your boy have the same? M.


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## makemineabrandy (9 June 2007)

Anna-Maries came up just on one side last week and although she had a bit of trouble swallowing there didnt seem to be any other ill effects. I held off calling the vet - just made sure she had plenty to drink and that she seemed OK otherwise and next day it had come down in size and was nearly normal again after 2 days. Was wondering if it was an allergic reaction or even if she'd knocked it on the water trough. 
She's fully fine again now  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 ... apart from losing a shoe and cant find a farrier till Friday


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## Box_Of_Frogs (9 June 2007)

I've also heard this called "grass glands" and I think its relatively common at this time of year in greedy ponies. They eat and eat and chew and chew and the salivary glands have to work overtime to keep each mouthful nicely moist as it goes down the hatch. I had a Highland x who got "glands" every year about now as he stuffed his face with grass. Always disappeared when the grass growth slowed. Having said all this, I'd still keep a careful watch for other symptoms just in case. Good luck!!!


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## sleepingdragon10 (10 June 2007)

Hmm, Lux's had gone down last night, but he's got abit of a weepy eye now too 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Think I'll give the vet a call tomorrow just to make sure......would hate to leave it and have it develop into somehting nasty.


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## glenruby (10 June 2007)

I think the gland you are referring to is the mandibular gland. The parotid gland runs from below the ear behind the jaw bone and its DUCT continues across the facial angle under the jaw while the mandibular galnd sits beneath the mandible(jaw bone).
Other than that I agree with the comments of the above posters. Contact your vet if you are worried.


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## Sneedy (11 June 2007)

My boy has had this problem since last autumn.  Its very odd, as he's been in the same field for over 2 yrs and it only started last yr. there are a cuople of oak trees in it but he's kept away from them apart from when the fallen leaves blew into his paddock.  I spoke to my vet about it and he said its prob an allergy and not to worry, I put him in a diff field and they didn't swell.  Unfortunately he couldn't stay in that field so I have to put up with it.  They aren't swollen in the morning, just after a day of grass (even in winter), I've just learnt to live with it, it doesn't bother him, I'm just aware of not schooling him in an outline when they are particularly big. Try not to worry!


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## keeperscottage (13 June 2007)

I owned my mare, Sapphire, a 15.3hh black Irish cob, for 22 years, from a 2 year old in 1972 until she sadly had to be put down in 1994. Every spring, and every September, without fail, her parotid glands would swell to a HUGE extent! This MUST have been associated with the Spring grass/Autumn flush. It never ever caused a problem (other than visually!). It caused me untold worry initially, but I got used to these twice yearly swellings! In my layman's opinion (horsey since 1963 - very young then!), I'd say to you DON'T WORRY!


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## comicduo (13 June 2007)

Clover was allowed into the main field last night because of the thunderstorm (she has a starvation paddock under the trees in the corner nomrally) and this morning she had swelling on both sides of her jaw. She wasn't looking at all unwell, had no pain or heat when I touched the swelling and seemed to be eating fine. 
Could she have this grass glands condition?
I have never had this trouble with her before, is it something that just spontantously happens with some horses?
We have a lot of buttercups in the main field, could they be a factor?


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## Sars89 (21 June 2007)

Hi guys, 
Im gonna chuck in something random. Im from Australia and we have 8 horses coming in from the paddock with the swelling under there jaw? Its only from the paddock. 
Does anyone know of any plants that cause symptoms like these? the horses are also coming in, when really swollen, quite dopey....the vets dont no but its just a thought.
Cheers
Sara


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