J. Stonehewer et al., Idiopathic phenobarbital-responsive hypersialosis in the dog: an unusual form of limbic epilepsy?, J SM ANIM P, 41(9), 2000, pp. 416-421
Three unusual cases of salivary gland enlargement and hypersialosis in the
dog that responded to anticonvulsant therapy are reported. Presenting compl
aints included weight loss, hypersalivation, retching and vomiting of sever
al weeks' duration. Two dogs were presented with enlarged painful mandibula
r salivary glands. The third dog exhibited bizarre behaviour (including jaw
chattering) and developed enlarged painful mandibular salivary glands duri
ng hospitalisation. Fine needle aspirate cytology and biopsies from the enl
arged salivary glands revealed no significant pathological changes. In one
dog, an electroencephalogram revealed changes consistent with epilepsy. Hyp
ersialism and salivary gland enlargement resolved completely during phenoba
rbital administration in all cases. Two dogs were successfully weaned off t
reatment six months after diagnosis. The remaining dog relapsed after eight
months, but normalised with the addition of oral potassium bromide. It is
hypothesised that the syndrome idiopathic hypersialosis may in fact be an u
nusual form of limbic epilepsy.