In an affected animal, pet owners will notice salivary cysts in either of two places. Typically, a large pocket of saliva will form under the jaw at the base of the neck. It will initially be on the same side as the injured duct, but after a brief period, the cyst can become so large that it fills the entire area below the jaw. It feels like a thick-walled balloon filled with honey. The animal is able to breathe, eat, and drink in a normal fashion. Swallowing rarely seems to be impaired. The other area where cysts are found is within the mouth, under the tongue. They are referred to as a 'ranula' in this location. These cysts often will cause problems with eating and drinking. They may limit normal movement of the tongue during drinking or get in the way when food is being chewed.
Your veterinarian will begin with a physical examination of your dog. They will need to check for other causes of swelling in this area, which can include enlarged lymph nodes, tumors and abscesses. Your veterinarian will feel the enlarged area and take a sample with a needle to look at the cells under the microscope. This is called a fine needle aspirate. Based on the type of cells present, your veterinarian can likely determine what is causing the enlargement. If the cells are not clear, your veterinarian may recommend a biopsy, where a larger section of tissue is taken and sent to a lab. This may be done with full anesthesia or just sedation. This test is called a histopathology and can often confirm what is causing the enlargement. Your veterinarian may also recommend imaging, such as x-ray or CT scan to see how far the cysts extend so they can plan a surgical approach.
The cost of surgical treatment will vary widely based on location and level of expertise. At some clinics this may cost as much as $1000 or more depending on the size and location of the salivary mucocele.
Most dogs recover well after surgery.
Your veterinarian will want to remove any sutures 10 to 14 days after surgery, and usually a full recheck exam is performed at this time.
There is no known prevention for this condition.
Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!