Stomatitis

Has your cat suddenly started drooling for no reason?  Is she pawing at her mouth?  Not eating her favorite kibbles?   There could be lots of reasons for this.  One of the more serious ones is stomatitis.  

Also known as Feline Chronic Gingivo-Stomatitis (FCGS), stomatitis is a condition that happens to a lot of cats, usually in those older than a year.  It’s rarely fatal but causes severe and painful inflammation in a cat’s mouth, on his gums, and tongue. It is not the same as gingivitis, which usually involves the gums near bad teeth.  Stomatitis impacts all the soft tissue in a cat’s mouth – gums, tongue, throat and the roof of the cat’s mouth.  

While the exact cause of stomatitis isn’t clear, many veterinarians believe it happens when a cat’s immune system over-reacts to something, causing the inflammation, ulcers and other symptoms in a cat’s mouth.  Cats who are positive for FIV or feline leukemia are more susceptible to it throughout their lives as are cats carrying the calicivirus. By itself, stomatitis isn’t fatal to cats.  However, when it causes a cat to stop eating and taking care of itself, the door to other problems opens.

Because stomatitis is a condition that impacts a cat’s mouth, the state of his dental health is a big factor. Since it seems to be triggered by an immune-system reaction, any bacteria present in a cats mouth and on his teeth can be a trigger.  Those who’ve tried to brush their cat’s teeth will know it’s not an easy task, but keeping your cat’s mouth clean and his teeth as plaque-free as possible may reduce the chance of an immune reaction that could lead to stomatitis. 

Cat’s do their best to hide any pain they’re experiencing, which makes it harder for pet parents to know something is wrong.  With stomatitis, though, the symptoms can be more obvious.  According to a great article on stomatitis by greatpetcare.com, the observant pet owner should look for drooling and pawing at the mouth, which says your cat is feeling pain and experiencing inflammation.  As with a lot of things related to cat health, a big change in eating habits is often the first clue something is wrong.  If a cat stops eating the kibbles he always enjoyed or stops eating altogether, something is wrong.  You may also see your cat take a bite of food and then walk away.  Not eating will result in weight loss, which you will notice quickly.  If stomatitis has advanced to the point where your cat has ulcers in his mouth already, you may see blood in his drool.

Greatpetcare.com notes some additional symptoms that suggest stomatitis might be what’s going on with your cat, including bad breath, a change in his coat if he’s not grooming and swollen lymph nodes in his neck.

Had a full mouth extraction

If you notice any of the above symptoms, your first call should be to your vet (as it is with anything that you see in your cat that worries you or seems out of character.)   Your vet should do a thorough exam your cat’s mouth and teeth to look for ulcers or inflammation. That way they’ll be able to determine if the problem is dental or something bigger. The vet should also do a full exam to look for other signs of stomatitis or something else going on.  A vet may also choose to do blood tests to check for viruses, dental X-rays, mouth swabs, or even a biopsy under anesthesia if cancer is a possible condition.

What do vets recommend to treat stomatitis?  With treatment, many cats show improvement but it’s true that some cats won’t fully recover from it. Treatment options range from simple steps to much more invasive ones.  To start, the vet will likely do a full dental cleaning and remove any diseased teeth.  After that the cat may require daily treatments with an antiseptic paste for life.  There are some medications available to help, too, but, as with meds for people, some work better than others, depending on the cat and his health, and some come with some side effects.  In addition to corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, interferon, an antiviral medication given by injection or orally in liquid form, shows promise as a treatment.

Sadly, we have not found that any of the drugs listed in this article to truly work.   What we have found that does work is a cocktail of Pentoxifylline and Cerenia.   Have your vet call our vet, Dr. Robeson, at 910- 858-2525.  We have several cats on this mixture and have completely cleared their mouths with it.

Had a full mouth extraction

In more severe cases of stomatitis, the vet may have to remove some teeth.  In some cases, the  vet will only remove the molars along the cheeks, leaving the front teeth and canines.  In other cases, like BCR’s Seven, the best option may be to remove all the cat’s teeth. (Cats can continue to eat normally once they’ve healed from the procedure and the original source of the pain is gone.)  This step seems drastic but has resulted in improvement in about 90 percent of cats and a 50 percent cure rate. 

Had a full mouth extraction

With a disease no one seems to know the cause of, what’s the best way to keep your cat from getting it?  The first step is good dental hygiene.  Start kittens off with early.  If you adopt an adult cat, introducing dental hygiene can be tricky but can be done!  It’s also important to make sure your cat is up to date on vaccinations to reduce the chances of them getting leukemia or the feline calicivirus.  At the same time, male cats should be neutered to stop fighting and transmitting FIV and leukemia. 

As with all things related to cats – stay observant!  You know your cat better than anyone so as soon as you see something that is not normal behavior, get to your vet.

CLICK HERE to read the greatpetcare.com article.

CLICK HERE for some tips on making sure your cat’s mouth is healthy and clean.