INFLAMMATION OF THE SALIVARY GLANDS. 49 



Inflammation of the Salivary Glands. 

 (Parotitis; Mumps.) 



Inflamniation of the salivary glands is caused through tratunatic 

 causes or by the presence of a micrococcus which grows in the saliva 

 in the form of a diplostreptococcus ; and by direct infection from 

 the blood itself in the form of a diplococcus. The author has fre- 

 quently seen the gland in the region of the ear affected, more rarely 

 the glands of the lower jaw, and least of all the glands of the 

 tongue. 



Inflainmation of the glands of the ear (parotitis) appears either 

 as a consequence of some mechanical cause, or by infection from 

 the cavity of the mouth from some existing inflammation of that 

 part, or as a disease. The latter requires special mention as a 

 primary idiopathic parotitis (mumps). 



Etiology. This disease is rather rare in the dog, but some- 

 times it may take the form of an epizootic (Hertwig, Schussele). 

 In these cases it is probably due to some infecting virus that gets 

 into the gland through Steuo's duct. The exact nature and time 

 of incubation of this disease are not known. 



Symptoms. The disease begins with a swelling of the glands 

 ort one or both sides of the ear. The location of these glands 

 is seen in Fig. 17. They swell rapidly and are very tender to 

 the touch, changing the whole appearance of the head and neck. 

 The animal is very droopy, carries the head stiff, eats with great 

 difficulty, and will swallow only small pieces. The saliva is very 

 thick and forms tenacious bubbles at the corners of the mouth. 

 The fever is seldom high, and in the majority of cases in from five 

 to eight days the swelling decreases and disappears entirely in 

 fourteen days (Hertwig). 



In rare cases an abscess is formed in the gland and always in 

 one. The gland swells as in mumps, only the course is much 

 quicker, and the surrounding tissues are much swollen and 

 (edematous. Soon a fluctuating part is felt, which later opens 

 in one or more places, and a thick, creamy pus escapes; the 

 fiedema of the surrounding tissues disappears quickly, and the 

 fever, whii h is rarely of much consequence, goes down entirely 

 and the wound closes in a short time. 



The inflammation of the glands of the tongue and lower jaw 



4 



