BASICS
Ptyalism—excessive production and secretion of saliva. Pseudoptyalism—drooling saliva owing to the inability or reluctance to swallow.
Results from hypersecretion of the salivary glands, but more commonly due to impaired neuromuscular control with dysfunctional voluntary oral and pharyngeal motor activity.
- Slaframine toxicity—North America and Europe.
- Vesicular stomatitis—North, Central, and South America
Dependent on the primary problem.
- Pharyngeal and esophageal disorders—dysmaturity, septicemia, and congenital disorders.
- Esophageal and gastroduodenal ulceration
- Salivation.
- Quidding, refusal to eat hard food, preference for soft food.
- Inability to close the mouth and dropped jaw (CN V), inability to move the lips (CN VII), loss of the gag reflex and inability to swallow (CN IX, CN X, CN XII).
- Muscle atrophy—secondary to CN deficits, trauma, or myopathy.
- Esophageal disorders—obstructions, diverticulum, neoplasia, foreign bodies.
- Dysphagia—coughing during swallowing, frequent swallowing motions, extension of the neck.
- Salivation following slaframine ingestion—occurs within 30–60 min and may persist for 24 h. Other signs—diarrhea, anorexia, polyuria, or abortion. Clinical signs resolve within 48–96 h of removing the contaminated feed.
- Esophageal and gastroduodenal ulceration—bruxism, salivation, colic, and decreased appetite
- Hypersecretion—tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, and anticholinesterases.
- Hypersecretion—parasympaticomimetics. Ingestion of forage or hay contaminated with Rhizoctonia leguminicola produces a mycotoxin, slaframine, which is a cholinergic agonist.
- Cholinesterase inhibitor insecticides—organophosphates and carbamates.
- Neurologic and neuromuscular diseases—difficulties in oral and pharyngeal motor control.
- Impairment of the oral phase of deglutition—secondary to trauma, oral pain, periodontal disease, mucosal penetration by a foreign body, or facial nerve paralysis.
- Primary diseases of the salivary glands—uncommon: sialadenitis, salivary calculi, salivary mucocele, trauma, neoplasia, or infection (e.g. Streptococcus equi, rabies).
- Stomatitis—vesicular stomatitis, irritants, caustic chemicals, yellow bristle grass, foxtails, NSAID toxicity, erosions secondary to point on teeth.
- Lymphadenopathy—dysphagia.
- Gastroesophageal reflux and ulceration.
- Septicemia—neonates.
- Esophageal intraluminal obstruction and esophageal rupture.
- Heavy metal poisoning such as mercury and lead
DIAGNOSIS
TREATMENT
MEDICATIONS
FOLLOW-UP
MISCELLANEOUS