• M C von Doernberg, M E Peeters, G ter Haar, and J Kirpensteijn.
• Department of Clinical Science of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, PO Box 80.154, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
• J Small Anim Pract. 2008 Aug 1;49(8):413-6.

AbstractLingual abscessation is a rare condition in dogs. Very little information is available on the diagnosis and treatment of lingual abscesses in the major surgical textbooks and current veterinary literature. The common clinical signs of lingual abscesses are macroglossia, hypersalivation and a reluctance to open the mouth, but these can vary depending on the time course of the disease and the location of the abscess. This article presents three cases of tongue abscess in the dog outlining treatment and outcomes. A thorough diagnostic work up, consisting of anamnesis, clinical and haematological examinations, oral inspection under sedation and the use of diagnostic imaging techniques should be mandatory before surgical exploration of the abscess. Surgery is followed by drainage and systemic antibiotics, complemented by systemic fluid support and pain management. Conservative management of lingual abscesses can be fatal. Sharp trauma from an unknown object is suspected to be the underlying cause for the abscesses in the present cases.

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