Glossitis
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Signalment
- Long coated dogs that commonly get plant seeds stuck in their coats.
Description
Acute or chronic inflammation of the tongue usually secondary to an infectious, physical, chemical or metabolic cause:
- Infectious: calicivirus, feline herpesvirus, panleukopanenia, fungal, necrotising stomatitis and leptospirosis
- Physical: irritation from periodontal disease, foreign bodies and trauma
- Metabolic: uraemia, vitamin deficiencies and hypoparathyoidism
- Chemical: heavy metal poisoning
Diagnosis
History
Ingestion of a foreign body
Clinical Signs
- drooling
- bleeding
- dysphagia
- a reddened, swollen and ulcerated tongue edge in the case of periodontal disease.
- visualisation of a foreign body under the tongue (they may become embedded so that they cannot be palpated).
- acute swelling in the case of insect stings
- in chronic ulcerative glossitis there may be a thick, malodourous brown discharge.
Definitive Diagnosis
Careful examination of the entire mouth which the animal may resisit.
Treatment
Involves treating the primary cause. Removal of any foreign objects or diseased teeth. Systemic antibiotics for bacterial causes. Debridement, 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthwashes, lingual curettage (in the case of a deep foreign body) may also be used to treat glossitis. Nutritional support should be offered if required.
Prognosis
References
Merck & Co (2008) The Merck Veterinary Manual