Overview of saliva production

• The major salivary glands are the parotid, mandibular, sublingual and zygomatic glands
  • They are made up of Acini glands that secrete a fluid containing mainly water, bicarbonate, electrolytes, mucin and the enzymes amylase and lipase.
  • The mandibular ducts enter the oral cavity on the ventral surface of the sublingual caruncles.
  • The parotid gland ducts enter the oral cavity on the cheek opposite the upper 2nd molar.
• Cattle produce around 110-180L of saliva per day, with a key role in buffering rumen pH Rumen pH and the importance of saliva.
  • Saliva is normally produced in response to stimulation of the mouth, esophagus and reticulo-rumen.
• Excessive salivation or ptyalism can be due to hypersialosis (hypersecretion of saliva) or pseudoptyalism (secondary to disorders in cows producing a normal quantity of saliva).
• It can be identified by observation of the cow:
  • Drooling, foam around lips, wet appearence around and underneath the muzzle .
• It can be caused by multiple disorders and diseases (as detailed below).

Infectious causes of excess saliva production

Neoplastic causes of excess salivation

Other causes of excess salivation

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed Papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Misk N A,  Misk T A, Semiekal M A & Ahmed A F (2014) Affections of the salivary ducts in buffaloes. Open Vet J 4 (1), 65-68 PubMed.
• Lanyon S R, Hill F I, Reichel M P & Brownlie J (2014) Bovine viral diarrhoea: pathogenesis and diagnosis. Vet J 199 (2), 201-209 PubMed.
• Russell G C, Stewart J P & Haig D M (2009) Malignant Catarrhal Fever: a review. Vet J 179 (3), 324-335 PubMed.
• Alexandersen S, Zhang Z, Donaldson A I & Garland A J M (2003) The pathogenesis and diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease. J Comp Pathol 129 (1), 1-36 PubMed.
• Maekawa M I, Beauchemin K A, Christensen D A (2002) Effect of concentrate level and feeding management on chewing activities, saliva production, and ruminal pH of lactating dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 85 (5), 1165-1175 PubMed.
• Schmitt B (2002) Vesicular stomatitis. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 18 (3), 453-459.
• Denghani S N, Lischer C J, Iselin U, Kaser-Hotz B & Auer J A (1994) Sialography in cattle: technique and normal appearance. Vet Radiol Ultrason 35 (6), 433-439.
• Bundza A (1983) Primary salivary gland neoplasia in three cos. J Comp Pathol 93, 629-632.