Stomatitis is a very serious and painful disease, which is an infection of the mouth and gum tissue.

Today I will take you to learn more about feline stomatitis.

01. Causes of stomatitis

The exact cause of stomatitis is not yet known, but there are several possible factors, which I have listed below.

1. Dental disease

Dental disease, especially periodontitis, is often cited by some veterinarians as the primary cause of stomatitis. Dental diseases are basically caused by dental plaque and calculus. However, tooth resorption is an exception.

　2. Weak immune system Some people believe that stomatitis is caused by abnormalities in the cat’s immune system. An abnormal immune system will give incorrect feedback to the bacteria in the oral cavity and attack its own healthy oral tissues, leading to stomatitis.

3. Other infections

Feline leukemia - FeLV

Feline AIDS - FIV

Calicivirus (feline calicivirus)

Bartonella - associated with cat-scratch disease and cat-scratch fever

02. Which varieties are high risk

Stomatitis is a common problem in feline diagnosis and treatment. Cats of all ages, all breeds, and all mixed breeds can be affected. Some breeds seem to be statistically more susceptible to stomatitis.

​This includes:

Himalayan cat

Persian cat

Exotic short

Siam

Maine

Somalia

Abby

Dongduan

03. Symptoms of stomatitis

Cats suffering from stomatitis may show one or a combination of the symptoms listed below.

These symptoms include:

Bad breath

Gingivitis

Oral ulcers include lips, tongue, gums and back of throat

Tooth resorption

Drooling

Difficulty eating and swallowing

​Refusing to eat, barking when food is touched, unable to pick it up

Can scratch face or mouth with claws

Weight loss

I have unruly hair. Because of the pain, I comb myself less often

04. What does stomatitis look like

First of all, we should not confuse stomatitis with gingivitis. Gingivitis can be understood as an early symptom of periodontitis.

Stomatitis refers to a wider scope: including inflammation of the entire oral mucosa, which can extend to the gums, tongue, inside and outside of the lips, and the upper and lower jaws.

The picture below shows the mouth of a cat with gingivitis:

From the picture below, we can see that in cats with gingivitis, the periodontal tissue surrounding the teeth has become inflamed and red:

The picture below shows a cat suffering from stomatitis. We can see that the area of ​​inflammation in the oral mucosal tissue is very extensive:

In the picture below, the cat’s stomatitis is more serious, with lesions on the gums, tongue and inside of the lips:

Severe stomatitis can spread to the upper and lower jaw and may spread to the throat:

Stomatitis can also cause tooth resorption, as shown below:

05. Diagnosis of stomatitis

Preliminary diagnosis: A simple inspection, an experienced veterinarian will give you a rough idea. If you carefully observe the case pictures above, you will be able to self-diagnose at home.

Stomatitis is a chronic disease that gradually spreads to various tissues in the oral cavity.

Oral inflammation in a short period of time may be the beginning of stomatitis. Of course, it may not be stomatitis but another disease entirely. If the inflammation in the mouth does not spread widely but is localized to a specific area.

Then the possible causes may be as follows, so don’t misdiagnose:

Allergy

Foreign body

Periodontal disease or other dental problems

Tooth resorption

Further diagnosis: Many veterinarians may ask you to do blood routine and biochemistry on your cat, but this is of no use for stomatitis.

It is not as practical as the following inspection items:

Basic disease examination mainly includes leukemia, feline AIDS, cup body, and Bartonella

Tissue biopsy can distinguish stomatitis and oral cancer

Tooth resorption can be observed on X-ray

06. Initial treatment of stomatitis

The impact of stomatitis on cats mainly depends on the stage and severity of stomatitis and the degree of pain the cat endures.

Drugs and surgery can be combined treatments.

Stomatitis is generally very painful, so initial treatment options usually include:

Pain relief

​Anti-inflammatory

​Anti-infection

Liquid food aid

Supplements to enhance immunity

​Concurrent treatment of other underlying diseases

07. Long-term treatment plan

Medication treatment is effective in the short term and can relieve symptoms, but the long-term effect is worrying and even disappointing.

Generally speaking, surgical treatment is the fundamental solution.

These plans include:

Teeth cleaning

Remove premolars and molars

Whole tooth extraction

The specific implementation plan should be discussed in detail with the doctor and the pros and cons should be weighed.

08. Prognosis

Feedback on treatment effectiveness is mixed.

Some cats need to take long-term anti-inflammatory drugs, supplemented by intermittent antibiotics, to control the disease. There are also cases where treatment is ineffective. In this case, the cat's life will be endangered.

Continuous pain will cause the cat to be unwilling to eat, and euthanasia may be the only option.