Development of Presumptive Sialadenosis Following a Chronic Oropharyngeal Stick Injury in a Dog

A 3 yr old female spayed Labrador retriever was referred for the treatment of a chronic oropharyngeal stick injury. After computed tomography scan evaluation, the cervical area was explored surgically and a right-sided cervical abscess that contained a wooden stick was identified adjacent to the vagosympathetic trunk and carotid artery. The ipsilateral mandibular salivary gland was resected concurrently given its abnormal appearance, and histology confirmed inflammation and necrosis of the gland, which was suspected to be due to direct trauma from the foreign body. The clinical signs initially improved but then recurred, and a follow-up computed tomography scan was suggestive of sialadenosis or sialadenitis in the right parotid, zygomatic, and molar salivary glands. A presumptive diagnosis of sialadenosis was made and a course of phenobarbital was initiated. The clinical signs resolved completely within a few days, and there was no recurrence several months after termination of the phenobarbital treatment. This is the first case report of presumptive sialadenosis in a dog as a suspected complication of an oropharyngeal stick injury. Informed consent was obtained from the owner of the dog and the patient was managed according to contemporary standards of care.