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Cat Stomatitis Causes, Treatments

Cats are prone to chronic diseases of the mouth and one such disease is feline stomatitis.

Stomatitis is a severe inflammation of the oral mucous membranes where the tooth meets the gums. It often occurs in the back of the mouth.

Cat stomatitis can occur early in life (3-5 months) and may become severe by 9 months of age, but it usually shows up in young adult cats. The presence of dental calculus seems to accelerate the onset of this problem.

The common causes of feline stomatitis are exposure to viral infections, bacterial infections, an autoimmune condition, food allergies, and hypersensitivity reactions.

The symptoms of feline stomatitis are:

Severe pain
Irritability
Aggressiveness
Depression
Refusal to eat or difficulty chewing
Lesions on the gums, back of the mouth, tongue, or lips.
Mouth ulcers
Bad breath
excessive bleeding of the gums
Pawing at the face
Red and inflamed gums and
Reluctance to allow a mouth examination.

If the feline stomatitis is severe, the inflamed tissue becomes erythematous, ulcerated, and bleeds readily. It is important to start the feline stomatitis treatment immediately after a diagnosis of the condition. If left untreated, it can lead to serious pain and the eventual removal of your pet’s teeth. Here are a few treatment tips which, if followed regularly, may prevent and cure this painful illness:

The first step is to take you cat to a veterinarian for proper examination and identification of the disease.
You must take your cat for regular dental cleaning at least twice a year.
You must brush your cat’s teeth daily and must be aware of the dental hygiene of your furry friend.
You must provide good nutrition with the necessary vitamin supplements to your cat. It is vital to keep your pet's nutritional needs fulfilled.
You must rinse your cat’s teeth with 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash on a daily basis.
You must give soft food to your cat as dry cat food can irritate the cat’s mouth because of painful stomatitis.
Alternatively, you may also give canned food diluted with water or plain broth to a liquid consistency.
You must provide your cat with omega 3 fatty acids as they help in combating the inflammation.
In some cats, the use of antibiotic therapy helps control the stomatitis.
Removal of the teeth in the affected area usually helps to control the inflammation. It may seem to be a bad idea, but most cats feel much better after the teeth removal. A careful extraction is necessary for the removal of the entire tooth.

Submitted on May 7, 2010