Page 589 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

27 – THE CAT WITH SALIVATION 581

● Oral medication** (p 584)
Can be unpleasant tasting or irritant to the oral mucous membranes. Some drugs can cause a
delayed hypersalivation (e.g. trimethoprim-sulfa combinations).
TRAUMA

● Tongue laceration** (p 584)
Sudden onset, inability to eat, rapid secondary bacterial infection.
● Jaw fracture/dislocation** (p 584)
Inability to chew, slack jaw, asymmetry of jaw.
● Hiatal hernia/gastroesophageal intussusception (p 592)
Uncommon, intermittent salivation, age of cats. Intussusception can be rapidly fatal.

● Diaphragmatic hernia with incarcerated stomach (p 598)
Very uncommon, intermittent salivation, often associated with feeding and dyspnea.

INTRODUCTION
Medication or attempted medication with unpleasant-
MECHANISM? tasting oral medication.
Ptyalism (hypersalivation, drooling, hypersialosis) Pleasure is a common non-pathological cause of
occurs as a result of ptyalism at home. This often occurs in older cats and is
usually associated with other signs of pleasure, e.g.
Either: excessive saliva production due to stimulation
purring and kneading of paws.
of the salivary nuclei located in the brainstem via local
receptors (taste and tactile) in the mouth and on the Ptyalism at home unassociated with pleasure and
tongue, or via higher centers in the central nervous ptyalism in the clinic, unassociated with fear or stress
system (CNS). suggests a pathological cause.
Or: normal or increased saliva production but with an Careful history-taking will help differentiate patho-
inability to swallow or retain the excessive saliva in the logical from non-pathological causes of ptyalism.
mouth due to an anatomical problem.
Careful examination of the oral cavity will help differ-
entiate oral from extra-oral causes of ptyalism.
WHERE?
Recurrent, intermittent (non-stress-induced) ptyalism
Oral causes mouth (including pharynx) and tongue. in young cats (<1 year old) is likely to be caused by
portosystemic shunt.
Extra-oral causes including CNS and gastrointestinal
tract (especially esophagus and stomach). Other causes of recurrent, intermittent ptyalism include
hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal intussusception and
diaphragmatic hernia.
WHAT?
Most other causes are likely to be acute in onset and
The most common non-pathological cause of ptyalism in
produce continuous drooling.
the clinic situation is fear or stress and occurs especially
in very nervous cats. These cats do not have ptyalism at Pain is a major cause of ptyalism in the cat – usually
home. combined with dilated pupils.