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Canine Enlarged Lymph Glands

Submitted by Michael Adams on July 14, 2010

Dogs are practically the most common domesticated pet found all over the world and are highly regarded for their companionship as well as loyalty to their master. Moreover, their natural hunting skill, in most breeds, helps them provide a certain amount of security and protection over their master – a trait that is always well received. If you have every suffered from swollen lymph nodes yourself, you can appreciate how much discomfort and cause for concern the condition brings.

Dogs suffer from the same condition in very much a similar way. The lymph nodes, under normal circumstances are essentially a small mass of tissue that is spread all over the body. The play a pivotal role in the functioning of the animals immune system and acts as a storage space for white blood cells as well as a filtration system for the blood.

Swollen lymph nodes in dogs is the result of any tissue suddenly becoming inflamed – causing the lymph node tissues to drain and become swollen as a response mechanism. Some of the most common causes of swollen lymph nodes in dogs include a reaction of the lymph nodes to an infectious agent by producing excess white blood cells, an allergic reaction, an overreaction of the immune system to an invasion or even conditions like bone marrow infection, leukemia and asthma.

Some of the more prominent symptoms that are likely to show in a case of dog swollen glands include a swelling around the base of the jaw, shoulder, joints of the leg as well as the groin area. Most dogs will also experience significant discomfort when it comes to passing stool in cases where the lymph nodes around the groin area are swollen. Because of the fact that the condition can be caused by a variety of factors, most cases will require the pet owner to consult a trained veterinarian as soon as possible to expedite and, therefore, maximize the effect of treatment. In most cases, the more minor cases of the condition will be treated with the help of antibiotics administration that has been prescribed by the veterinarian while the more serious conditions may require more aggressive treatment. It also helps to keep in mind the fact that some of the infections that cause the condition are considered to be zootonic – meaning that they can be transferred from the animal over to any human it comes in contact wwith.

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