Stomatitis is an inflammatory disease of the mouth in cats. Any animal can get sick at any age. There is stomatitis in cats ulcerative, viral, catarrhal, vesicular, as well as phlegmonous and gangrenous. This disease takes place in an acute form and chronically, it is primary and secondary. Most often there is catarrhal stomatitis, in which no major changes occur in the oral mucosa. Ulcerative stomatitis occurs with edema and bleeding gums in cats, while in the mouth of the animal, deep ulcers are formed.
Primary stomatitis occurs as a result of mechanical or thermal damage to the mucous membrane of the oral cavity in the cat, for example, with sharp bones or hot food. Secondary stomatitis is a consequence of other diseases, such as scurvy, diabetes, plague and others. The cause of stomatitis in cats can also be caries and deposition of tartar.
Symptoms of stomatitis in cats
With stomatitis in a cat, the mucous membrane in the mouth swells, the gums become red. In the mouth there are very painful sores that prevent the animal from eating and even drinking water. A large amount of saliva turns into foam and appears on the coat near the cat's mouth. She becomes sluggish, apathetic, no appetite. The animal weakens and grows thin. Elevated temperature, bad breath, strong thirst - all these symptoms indicate that the cat has stomatitis. Sometimes there is even a tooth decay in an animal.
Treatment of stomatitis in cats
One of the methods to prevent the appearance of stomatitis in cats is hygienic care of the oral cavity:
- daily brushing your teeth ;
- special food for removing plaque;
- special liquid additives in the drink, which will prevent the formation of plaque;
- Cleaning and polishing the animal's teeth from a veterinarian.
With a mild form of the disease, observing the hygiene measures listed above, and also applying treatment with antibiotics and steroids, sometimes an animal can be cured. If the disease continues to progress, the only way out is to remove all the teeth from the cat. At first glance this is a very cruel measure. However, at home, the cat can live normally and without teeth, but will be relieved of the constant pain caused by ulcers in the mouth.
Sometimes a dentist can recommend not removing all the teeth, but leaving incisors and fangs. However, in the future, most likely, you will have to remove them. Therefore, some veterinarians-dentists believe that when stomatitis occurs in cats, they should remove their teeth as early as possible. This will save the cat from unnecessary suffering.