(Continued)
Last week, within the context of the series on ailments of the mouth and nearby organs, we discussed the various possible causes of pharyngitis, for example: the consequence of infectious diseases, inflammation of nearby tissues, extension of rhinitis, air pollutants, unskilled administration of oral medicine, the eating of hot food or genetic defects.
Now let’s have a look at the telltale signs associated with this malady.
Symptoms
- Obviously, if the back of the throat is inflamed, there is going to be severe pain resulting therefrom. The animal with pharyngitis will therefore ingest food slowly or not at all. This is usually the first sign.
- If the pain is really severe, the animal would not even drink water. Signs of dehydration may appear (elasticity of the skin is reduced).
- If the owner were to touch the outer area of the pharynx, the dog would react immediately to the pain.
- There may be an accompanying swelling (and even pain) of the lymph nodes in that general area. The tonsils (lymph nodes) may also be red and swollen.
- In severe cases the lymph tissue in the back of the throat can become so swollen that breathing becomes coarse and raspy.
- Very often, laryngitis may accompany the pharyngitis. In this case, you may provoke a slight cough if you squeeze the pharyngeal area.
- If the pain inhibits the swallowing reflex, even saliva, instead of being swallowed, will drool out of the mouth. Also, the pain and inflammation could cause vomiting and coughing. When the dog is subjected to such spasms, the vomited material could end up in his lungs causing aspiration pneumonia.
- Fever, especially when there is great infection of pharynx.
- The dog usually shows some nasal discharge.
- Stiffness of the neck.
- Impaired breathing (respiratory distress) in advanced cases – especially if the dog has been subjected to strenuous activity.
N.B. (i) The worst thing that can happen in a severe pharyngitis attack is the
