You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Lectin-binding changes in dogs with sialadenosis

In a previous clinical update  Provet reported on the role of Lectins in the early recognition of pathogens by the body CLICK HERE if you missed it. In another paper ("Idiopathic salivary gland enlargement (sialadenosis) in dogs : a microscopic study" by Sozmen, Brown and Whitbread, Journal of Small Animal Practice (2000) 41, 243-247) the authors reported a change in lectin-binding staining patterns in 9/13 dogs with idiopathic submandibular salivary gland swelling, reflecting changes in local glycoconjugate production and/or secretion . Lectin-binding histochemistry and immuno-histochemistry testing against certain agglutinins have been used by the authors in the examination of normal salivary gland tissue as well as the cases reported in this study, but the agglutinins used are not derived from common pathogenic microorganisms. 

The salivary glands of dogs examined in this study showed no histopathological changes typical of inflammation or neoplasia. It is a matter of speculation whether the changed lectin-binding patterns could have been precipitated by early exposure and prior destruction of pathogenic microorganisms . 

Last updated : October 2013