Content
- What is mumps in dogs
- Causes of mumps in dogs
- Canine Mumps Symptoms
- Diagnosis of mumps in dogs
- How to cure mumps in dogs? - Treatment
- Prognosis
- Home remedies for mumps in dogs
If your dog shows up with an inflammation under the ears that resembles the mumps people can get, you might wonder, "can my dog have mumps?". The answer is yes. Although it is not a frequent disease and this type of transmission is rare, our dogs may have been infected with the virus that causes this disease in humans, a virus related to the one that causes canine distemper disease, so known to dog tutors.
Do you want to know more about the mumps in dogs - causes, symptoms and treatment? In this article by PeritoAnimal, we are going to talk about this impressive and very annoying disease.
What is mumps in dogs
It is called mumps (or also mumps) to parotid salivary gland inflammation (mumps), which are V-shaped and located under each ear of puppies, at the base of the ear cartilage. Canine major salivary glands consist of four glandular pairs: parotid, submandibular, sublingual and zygomatic which control saliva production; in cats, there is also a fifth pair: the molar glands. Saliva contains an enzyme called amylase that breaks down starch into glucose for use by the body, and starts the process of digestion.
In puppies, they also call canine mumps juvenile cellulitis, also called juvenile pyoderma or juvenile sterile granulomatous dermatitis. The disease affects dogs less than four months old and causes swelling of the muzzle and periocular region, with pustules that form crusts in the ear area that can affect the vertical portion of the ear canal, making the area thicker and warmer to the touch, with possible development of otitis.
The condition will progress to alopecia, skin tightening and later, erosions and ulcers will appear on the muzzle and chin. There may be an enlargement of the mandibular lymph nodes, which may ulcerate. Deep inflammation (cellulitis) can damage hair follicles, causing scarring.
Causes of mumps in dogs
Mumps in dogs may be due to:
- Traumas such as blows with inoculation of foreign bodies that can inflame and infect the gland.
- Secondary to other processes such as pharyngitis or salivary calculi trapped in the parotid duct that cause phlegm with inflammation of the gland. It can also be a consequence of distemper.
- Sometimes this disease can be caused by a transmission of the virus that produces mumps in humans due to close contact with a person with the disease. It's rare, but there have been cases. People are the reservoir of the virus and it is transmitted through direct contact by aerosols, fomites or urine. Furthermore, it can also occur in cats.
The virus that causes mumps belongs to the same family of the disease known as canine distemper. Paramyxoviridae, but unlike the genus to which distemper belongs, which is a Morbillivirus, O mumps virus belongs to the genus Rubulavirus. It is an RNA virus that isolates itself in saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, brain, blood and other tissues.
Canine Mumps Symptoms
The mumps virus is primarily located in the parotid glands, causing painful swelling in them with an enlargement in the area that gives the characteristic mumps appearance. Therefore, mumps in dog will have the following clinical signs:
- More or less overt inflammation of the parotid glands
- Redness and/or pus in the gland
- Induration of glands due to increased connective tissue
- Fever
- Ache
- Anorexia
- weakening
- Lethargy
- Weight loss
Depending on the severity of the process, the inflammation of the submandibular glands can be prolonged and even affect the facial nerve, causing facial paralysis. If any of the symptoms of mumps in dog, it is essential to go to the vet.
Diagnosis of mumps in dogs
In its milder version, mumps in dogs can be confused primarily with inflammation of the immediate connective tissue or subparotid lymph nodes, especially if they have also been affected. With the ultrasound, mumps can be differentiated from other pathologies such as adenitis, abscesses or calculi in the salivary ducts.
The diagnosis of this disease is mainly based on the history, that is, it must be completed at the beginning of the process. medical history of the animal, if you have had an incident that could cause or if you have been in contact with someone sick with mumps.
The next step will be to area palpation to determine the severity of the inflammation, whether it is really parotid inflammation or another process, as well as its spread to the immediate tissues and nerves.
Once it has been determined that it is a condition in the parotid glands, it will be necessary to perform bloodtests of the dog:
- The blood count will show normal or decreased total WBCs with an increase in lymphocytes.
- If the serum amylase determination is higher than the mean between 269-1462 U/L, salivary gland diseases (mumps or gland calculi) can be suspected, among other processes such as canine pancreatitis, oliguric renal failure (low urine production ), intestinal or liver disorders.
Samples of saliva, pharyngeal exudate (bacterial pharyngitis) or oral mucosa will be collected to seek the isolation of the genetic material of the virus through PCR, or antibodies against other infections.
How to cure mumps in dogs? - Treatment
There is no specific drug available for viral mumps in dogs, and therefore the treatment will be asymptomatic, that is, to alleviate the symptoms that the disease produces, such as:
- Antipyretics and anti-inflammatory to reduce fever and inflammation.
- fluid therapy subcutaneously or intravenously if dehydration due to anorexia occurs.
- Nutrition with light food, easy to eat and plenty of water.
In the case of bacterial mumps, antibiotics and it is necessary to drain the abscesses beforehand, if any.
Prognosis
In general, the prognosis is good and the cure usually occurs in less than two weeks. Of course, it is necessary to go to a veterinary center so that they can correctly diagnose your dog and guide the best treatment. Home remedies can be used, but always as a complement and not as a substitute for veterinary consultation. As a prevention, if someone in the family has mumps, it is recommended to avoid contact of this person with the dogs or cats due to the risk of transmission to them.
Home remedies for mumps in dogs
One of the remedies that could be used to relieve the dog a little is to apply cold cloths in the area, with or without substances with anti-inflammatory properties, such as aloe vera or chamomile. Another remedy that can relieve some pain and inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties is a fresh ginger root paste placed directly on the inflamed area.
While these remedies can be excellent adjuncts to veterinary care, we insist that it is very important to go to a professional to diagnose and treat the disease.
Now that you know everything about mumps in dogs, you might be interested in this video about the stench in dogs' paws:
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Mumps in Dogs - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment, we recommend that you enter our section on Viral diseases.