Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tongue removal surgery in dogs and how they recover
By Dvorak, Laura D et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2004·Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Major glossectomy in dogs: a case series and proposed classification system.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Five dogs underwent major tongue surgery (glossectomy) to remove aggressive tumors or other serious issues affecting their tongues. Owners reported that their pets were able to eat and function normally after the surgery, even years later. The study suggests that this type of surgery can be a good option for dogs with severe tongue problems, as they generally tolerated the procedure well and maintained a good quality of life afterward.
People also search for: dog tongue surgery recovery · aggressive tongue tumor in dogs · glossectomy for dogs · dog eating problems after surgery
Abstract
Major resections of the tongue have not been commonly performed in animals because of concerns about the unfavorable postoperative effects of diminished lingual function. Five dogs were retrospectively reviewed to determine prehensile function and quality of life after glossectomies. Examinations were performed 1 week to 8 years after glossectomy, and owner interviews were conducted 10 months to 8 years after the surgery. All five dogs had acceptable and functional outcomes. Based on these five cases, glossectomy was well tolerated by dogs and may be a viable treatment option for aggressive tongue tumors and other conditions that render the tongue unsalvageable.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15238564/