A Salivary Conglomerate with a Substantial Organic Component Mimicking a Mineral Sialolith in the Mandibular–Sublingual Gland Complex of a Dog

Abstract

Solid lesions of the mandibular–sublingual salivary gland complex are rare in dogs. We report the case of an 11-year-old, 5 kg, intact female Maltese dog that presented with a non-painful, 2–3 cm left cervical swelling, soft at the surface and firm in depth. Fine-needle aspiration yielded clear, sero-mucous fluid. Radiographs revealed a well-defined, ovoid radiopaque structure measuring 3.1 × 2.9 cm in the cranial cervical region. Mandibular and monostomatic sublingual sialoadenectomy via a ventral approach revealed a large, heart-shaped, solid conglomerate within the glandular complex. Histopathological examination confirmed glandular atrophy, fibrosis and sialoadenitis. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry of the submitted fragments indicated a substantial organic, protein- and lipid-rich component, with additional bands suggesting a possible minor mineral component. The dog healed completely, with no recurrence detected at the 2-week examination. Limitations include the absence of cross-sectional imaging and elemental analysis and the limited clinical follow-up. This case shows that protein-rich solid conglomerates should be included in the differential diagnosis of cervical swellings in dogs, that radiopacity alone does not establish mineral composition, and that complete surgical excision was associated with a favourable short-term outcome.