Idiopathic Phenobarbital-Responsive Sialadenosis in a Maltese Dog: Clinical Findings and Outcomes

An 11-year-old, castrated male Maltese dog was admitted with history of dyspnea and intermittent vomiting. The dog was presented with facial edema, neck spasms and enlarged mandibular and sublingual salivary glands. Initially, the dog was symptomatically treated with prednisolone, theophylline, doxycycline and clindamycin. Facial edema was mildly alleviated but foamy vomiting continued. The dog was diagnosed as sialadenosis based on results of fine needle aspiration, biopsy and histopathology of salivary glands. The dog was initiated with phenobarbital sodium (1.5 mg/kg PO q12h) and the dog’s clinical signs were improved within 24 hours following therapy. Sublingual salivary glands were shrinkened 3 months after phenobarbital administration. To the author’s knowledge, this case was first reported in a Maltese dog and describes diagnosis and treatment of a dog with sialadenosis for long-term period.