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Have you noticed that your cat experiences pain when chewing or has difficulty yawning? As cats age, they may develop a condition known as feline chronic gingivostomatitis.
This is a problem that can be very serious, since when it feels pain when eating, the animal could stop feeding. For this reason, we are going to explain everything you need to know about this disease.
What is feline chronic gingivostomatitis?
This is a very common disease in cats that affects all tissues that are in contact with saliva and bacterial plaque , such as the mucous membranes or the soft palate.
Unfortunately, it is not known for sure what its causes are, but we can tell you that if the cat has a weakened immune system or if its teeth have not been properly cared for (brushing them daily with a toothbrush and specific toothpaste for felines ) is more likely to be affected by chronic feline gingivostomatitis.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms are as follows:
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Chewing pain
- Pain when opening the mouth when yawning
- Loss of interest in food
- Weight loss
- Appearance of ulcers inside the mouth
- Swelling and redness of the gum line
- Teeth breakage or loss (in severe cases)
How do you make the diagnostic?
If your cat has any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should take it to the vet as soon as possible . There, they will perform a physical examination and, if necessary, take an X-ray of the mouth, a biopsy, and/or a bacterial culture.
Being a relatively common disease in cats, it is not difficult for professionals to reach this diagnosis, since the damage and discomfort that they cause are quite characteristic.
How is it treated?
Feline chronic gingivostomatitis is a disease that, as its name suggests, is chronic, meaning it lasts a lifetime. Therefore, treatment must also be continuous so that the cat can lead a more normal life. This treatment will consist of :
- Pain relievers, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed by the veterinarian.
- Cleaning of the teeth by the professional, who will remove the accumulated tartar that causes the bad smell and discomfort.
- Extraction of the teeth that have been affected.
- Daily dental cleaning.
- If the animal has chewing problems, the diet should be soft, based on cans of wet cat food (if possible, without cereals since cats cannot digest them well).
Can chronic feline stomatitis gingivitis be prevented?
Unfortunately, there is no disease that is completely preventable. But since this affects the mouth, and specifically its teeth and gums, some measures can be taken to follow them 'from now on', and if the animal is young even better. They are as follows:
Brush your teeth daily
It's not only important for humans to brush their teeth, but we should also brush the teeth of our beloved cats. This will significantly reduce their risk of developing feline gingivitis or chronic stomatitis.
Give him a quality meal
We are what we eat, and cats are no exception. Feeding them a high-quality, grain-free, and by-product-free diet will not only improve their oral health but also strengthen their immune system.
Of course, the ideal would be to give them homemade food, but if we do not want or cannot give it, we can choose to also give them sticks suitable for them.
Take care of it with respect, patience and affection
You might wonder what oral health problems have to do with affection, well, the truth is, we don't know, or at least not entirely. What I can tell you is that for cats to develop these problems, multiple factors have to come together, and considering how sensitive they are and how little they tolerate stress, it wouldn't be surprising if living in constant tension caused this or other health issues.
But apart from that, we have to take good care of them because they are part of our family, because we are supposed to love them, because we care about them.
Caring for a cat with chronic stomatitis gingivitis. My experience
Living with a cat that has this disease isn't easy. When it's diagnosed, it's not uncommon to fear the worst, because you know that if they don't eat… they'll lose weight, and if they lose weight they could die , and that's precisely what you don't want to happen. In 2018, we had to put Susty, a beautiful twelve-year-old calico cat, tomcat, to sleep. Despite all the love we cared for, despite the veterinary treatment, despite giving her (or trying to give her) her favorite food, there came a point when she decided she didn't want to live anymore. She became little more than skin and bones. We fought for three years. But in the end, we couldn't do anything more than what we were already doing.
In 2019, Keisha was diagnosed with this same disease, a cat who at the time of writing this article was 8 years old, although fortunately, at least for the moment, she is under control. They did a cleaning, and it seems that everything is going well.
It's important, I insist, that if your cat is sick, you continue to give them the same affection, or even more . Keep them company. They'll notice, and they'll be happier. Keisha appreciates being petted, having someone with her. She doesn't like being picked up—she never has—but she is one of those cats that snuggles up next to you when you lie down on the bed or sofa. I take advantage of those moments and give her a cuddle session. She deserves it.
Chronic feline stomatitis gingivitis is a disease that can be very serious, even lethal, but for that reason you have to be very strong and fight for your cat companion.
To finish, I leave you this video in which a veterinarian explains what feline chronic stomatitis gingivitis is:
https://youtu.be/LLhjYDpq5ow
Has it been of interest to you?