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This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only. 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. Everyone has heard of tonsils - but what are they ? Cats and dogs, like humans, have two tonsils which can be seen by looking into the mouth - one on either side of the back of the throat where the oral cavity ends and the pharynx begins. They consist mainly of lymph tissue which has two important roles :
Given the location of the tonsils, protection against infection is likely to be their most important role. If infection becomes localised in the tonsils they become enlarged, and sometimes inflamed - called tonsillitis. Basically, lymph fluids drain from the oral cavity and adjacent structures to the tonsils - so the primary site of infection may be the teeth, gums, tongue or other local tissues. If the tonsils become very inflamed they can be sore, and stop an animal from eating properly. From time to time they are also involved in other more serious diseases including cancer. If tonsils remain enlarged and abnormal in appearance for any length of time your veterinarian may advise a biopsy to determine the underlying cause. Removal of the tonsils (called tonsilectomy) is not routinely performed in animals, unless the tonsil is affected by a serious disease eg cancer - and only then if it has not already spread to other tissues.
Updated October 2013 | |||