The Continuing Medical Mystery of Junebug

When it comes to Junebug’s neck, the prevailing theory is “if it’s not bothering her…”. But that theory kind of falls apart when it appears her neck is oozing a sticky (and possibly brown) substance.

Already with June’s neck, we have the bi-lateral impacted saliva glands. We then also have a little lump right about the point her neck and lower jaw meet, which has tested benign. These things do not appear to bother her in the least. Her neck is a little chubby, but that’s it, and she happily goes about her life.

The first time we noticed a sticky brown substance on her neck, it wasn’t too long after brambling. We figured it was sap or something similar from running through the underbrush. We cleaned it off and went about our lives.

Then, we noticed it again, a month or so later. She had been brambling again, but the likelihood of her getting sap on herself in the exact same spot (and nowhere else) two different times seemed low. We cleaned it off and searched her neck for signs of a puncture, maybe a thorn that had gotten through her coat that we had missed. We found nothing.

Another month or so later, I was petting Junebug and rubbing her chin. I noticed a small amount of sticky liquid on her neck. This time, we found a small bump (think bug bite size). We pondered trying to shave her neck to get a better look, but she squirmed away the second the razor was turned on.

Instead, we took her to the vet. The vet was concerned by the fact that this little bump was right next to our benign lump, and also was concerned this might have something to do with her saliva glands, which might force a surgery. However, she also felt it could be a thorn that had gotten infected. However, that should have come out with the first “weeping”.

So, off to the back room for the Bug. They shave her neck, and while doing so, notice a drop of our sticky fluid coming out of the bump. The vet grabbed a slide and got a sample. She did not see evidence of a thorn.

The slide got sent off to the lab, with specific notes to look for saliva cells, given June’s medical history.

We left the office with antibiotics.

Two days later, we got the results from the lab. As with all things medically Junebuggy, they came back kind of inconclusive. No real evidence this was saliva. No real evidence it was an infection, either. The vet described it almost as a generic lab result.

Good news, of course, is that there is nothing indicating my little Bug needs surgery on her neck- something the vet just straight out says go see a specialist for. No surgery = good.

We completed the course of antibiotics, and are keeping a watch on that area. So far, no new sticky stuff, but it hasn’t been a full month yet.

As for Junebug, none of it seems to bother her. She’s a happy little Beagle with no care for the fact that she is a constant medical mystery.