Enlarged salivary gland under tongue, cat is not eating, sheduled draining

First, we already visited veterianarian and surgical draining is sheduled on tomorrow morning.

Second, I'm asking here because I'm trying to learn more about enlarged salivary glands under tongue (mucocele), why this happens, how others dealed with this, how to prevent this from repeating in the future. Any information will be highly appreciated.

Now background:

My cat started some excessive viscous salivation two weeks ago. Dried saliva on fur formed short but rigid "beard" around the mouth. It took few days to get an appointment, vet said some teeth are in really bad shape and have to be removed. Dental surgery was sheduled on one week later. It went not bad this Friday, 2 days ago, cat even ate once a very little bit afterwards. The each attempt to eat was followed by pawing his mouth forcefully, as if trying to remove foreign body. We are stopping him form pawing, instead of using Elisabetian collar that stresses him up to severe panting and bumping at things in the room.

Saturday, yesterday, he still couldn't eat and drink while wanting to eat, same pawing mouth after trying. He stopped trying to eat, knowing what will follow. Started salivating a lot, viscous saliva goes on the chin and then to the chest.

Knowing (then) that Saturday evening will be 48 hrs after he ate last time, and there could be consequaences, we were able to reach veterianrian before clinic closure for weekend. She said and showed to us his salivary gland under the tongue was enlarged, maybe 1" x 3/8" (2.5 cm x 9mm), this is a large cat. No problems on place of extractions, everything else looks good, no fewer, cat is active. All she could do is to draing it under anaesthesia. But it was a couple of hours before clinic closure on weekend, so surgery is sheduled on Monday morning. Meanwhile, subcutaneus hydration was adminishered and some additional pain control. We went home.

Current state:

Salivation (drooling) increased, still not eating or drinking, active. Waiting for tomorrow. My guess is if he is salivating, some draining happens, it's likely for the good.

Question:

I know nothing about this, and now trying to find more why it's happen, what should be done, what can be done by average person with not unlimited budget (even few thousands will be a problem), how to prevent this from repeating. Not much of findings, so far, only http://www.thecatsite.com/t/274143/ruptured-salivary-gland thread.

Do you have any information to share, please?

I have no experience with this but I did find this on the internet  http://virtuavet.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/rare-complication-after-cat-dental-surgery/     According to this article what your kitty has is a possible, albeit rare, complication after dental surgery.   If this is true than there is nothing that can be done at home to prevent this from happening in the future.

I too would be concerned about not eating.  He did get fluids late Friday which is good.  I know he is in pain but you may need to do some syringe feeding given how long he has went without eating.  http://www.thecatsite.com/t/227858/syringe-feeding-lucky-video-if-your-cat-is-not-eating   includes a thread showing how to do it.  Basically you use the side of the mouth and go very slow.

Thank you very much! This was essential for me to know.

I was able to find descriptions of 3 cases when sublingual mucocele decreased by itself. Unfortunately, not the case for my cat, and now he is hospitalized for renula draining. Keeping fingers crossed.

If links are allowed here, this also was useful for me:

1. http://bridlewoodvc.blogspot.ca/2011/04/ranula-sialocele-in-cat.html

Extremely rare for cats, surgery for creating free draining alternative for salivary duct was made (marsupialization). Old cat recovered well, with no reoccurence.

2. http://www.michigananimalhospital.com/page/479781582

Sublingual mucocele named ranula, trauma as a possible source, usually not identifiable, if not passes away by itself, it has to be either drained or the whole gland to be removed. (The whole gland removal cannot be done in usual clinic here, my vet said that specialist with his equipment should do that).

3. Salivary mucoceles in cats: A retrospective study of seven cases

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=456165&sk=&date=&pageID=2

 In all the cats, the mucocele was lanced, resected, or marsupialized into the oral cavity to provide immediate relief.
 
 In the two cases in this case series in which salivary glands were not removed (3 & 6), local recurrence was not noted.

Click to expand...

While search for terms cat "salivary gland" enlarged didn't help much, narrowing search to ranula and cat worked for me.

4. Something like flash cards for vet exam preparation covers what it is in general and waht is usually done.

http://quizlet.com/9489625/salivary-gland-disorders-flash-cards/

Update:

Surgery was done, relatively fast, problem is solved for a time being (sometimes healing closes draining holes again, but so far so good).

Some syringe feeding was necessary with a smooth, no lumps, Hill's a/d. Once he got something inside, he started to eat by himself, carefully, very small bits, but in total getting full amount.

He was kept from licking himself and eating grass for 2 weeks. I, for some reason, expected sutures to dissolve during this time. It would be better if we did this for a month: hair mat was entangled around surgical knots and had to be removed under sedation.

Now we have no drooling and viscous saliva, that is good, cat is eating, peeing and pooping.

As I understand, sublingual mucocele rarely happens in cats, and it had to happen to us, with hair mat forming at place of surgery. Ahh...