how to dissect the three salivary glands from mice?

This application will guide you through the anatomic dissection of the mouse and show a systematic approach to properly examine and collect tissues for histologic examination. The goal is to provide you with a better understanding of the mouse necropsy than could be obtained by images, video, diagrams etc. The only thing more realistic is actually doing a necropsy. Note that this is a general approach and depending on the reason for performing the necropsy, other approaches or modifications may be necessary.

The virtual necropsy is organized into steps. Follow the directions below (in blue text) to proceed through the dissection.

Check the mouse's ID, strain, color, age and sex information to make sure that they match the mouse being necropsied.

Record the mouse's weight.

Before dissection, saturate the hair with alcohol. Note: Be careful not to wet any areas that may need to be cultured later, such as around the mouth or nose. Also, all tissues and organs should be examined in situ before being dissected from the body.

Examine and palpate the entire body for superficial swellings or abnormalities. If found collect representative samples including normal tissue margins.

Click on the Gold "Enter" button to begin.

The necropsy begins with the mouse in lateral recumbency. Click on the "1" button.

A skin incision is made as outlined in blue from above the medial canthus of the eye to the ramus of the mandible. The skin is reflected ventrally in the direction of the red arrow. Hold down the mouse button and drag the cursor along the arrow to reflect the skin. This is completed when the "2" button appears.

The globe is elevated with forceps by grabbing the conjunctival tissue around the eye. To elevate the eye, click on the "2" button and the underlying Harderian gland can be seen.

Trim the tissue beneath the forceps and around the eye with scissors to remove the Harderian gland attached to the eye. The intraorbital lacrimal gland lies superficial to the Harderian gland in the lateral corner of the orbit and may also be removed. Hold down the mouse button and drag the cursor from the eye to the blue circle to remove. This is completed when the "3" button appears.

Click on the "3" button. The flat, light tan exorbital lacrimal gland is located caudal and ventral to the eye. To remove, hold down the mouse button and drag the cursor from the outlined gland in the direction of the red arrow. This is completed when the "4" button appears.

Click on the "4' button. The diffuse, pink parotid salivary gland is located ventral to the base of the ear. To remove the parotid gland, follow directions as shown until the "5" button appears. This completes the lateral recumbency dissection.

Click on the "5" button to place the mouse in dorsal recumbency. Wet the ventral surface of the body with alcohol.

Click on the "5" button to place the mouse in dorsal recumbency. Wet the ventral surface of the body with alcohol.

A midline skin incision extending from the caudal abdomen to the lower jaw is made. Be careful not to cut the superficial clitoral glands (female) or the preputial glands (male) located cranial to the external genitalia. To make the incision, hold down the mouse button and drag the cursor along the red arrow. This is completed when the "6" button appears.

Click on the "6" button. The skin is reflected by applying lateral traction and then bluntly dissecting away the subcutaneous tissue along with the skin from the underlying musculature. To do this, hold down the mouse button and drag along the red arrow. This is complete when the "7" button appears.

Click on the "7" button. The paired submaxillary salivary glands, sublingual salivary glands and the cervical lymph nodes are removed from the ventral cervical region. The submaxillary glands are the largest of these tissues and lies caudal to the sublingual glands. The lymph nodes are cranial to the sublingual glands. To remove these tissues, follow directions as shown until the "8" button appears.

For details:

http://tvmouse.compmed.ucdavis.edu/virtualnecropsy...

My daughter had that hers was blocked and she had a hard lump that didn't hurt but was uncomfortable. She had a minor op as a day patient under general anesthetic . After wards there was no pain only a little drowsiness which was to be expected. She hasn't had a problem since. Just read your follow up comment it doesn't sound like a blocked salivary gland, maybe an abses or something similar.