Gingivostomatitis
Alleviating your Cat’s Oral Discomfort
Gingivostomatitis (GS) is a chronic and painful oral disease in cats characterized by severe inflammation of the gingiva and oral cavity. It is an immune response where the body attacks its own oral cavity and teeth. This condition significantly impacts a cat's quality of life, often leading to decreased appetite, reduced water intake, and overall lethargy due to pain.
Why is Gingivostomatitis such a concern for my pet?
Several important reasons:
Severe Oral Pain: GS causes excruciating pain, making it difficult for cats to eat and drink.
Progressive Inflammation: The body mounts an immune response against bacteria, plaque, and proteins in the mouth, leading to severe and persistent inflammation.
Impact on Quality of Life: The constant discomfort can lead to a significant decline in a cat's overall health and well-being.
Underlying Immune Issues: GS is related to an immunologic defect, and abnormalities in the immune system can contribute to the chronic nature of the disease. Viral diseases such as calicivirus, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) can also present with signs of oral inflammation.
What are my options to manage a pet with Gingivostomatitis?
The primary goal in treating GS is to eliminate proliferative tissue and inflammation. Treatment varies based on the severity of the disease and the cat's response. We understand your concerns about your pet's safety and comfort. While there isn't a single cure for stomatitis, we have options with favorable outcomes:
Dental Extractions:
Initial Approach: The first treatment typically involves removing all teeth, including roots, behind the canine teeth. This resolves stomatitis enough to allow comfortable eating and drinking in 80% of cases.
Full Mouth Extractions: If the initial extractions aren't sufficient, all remaining teeth (canines and incisors) are removed. This leads to resolution in 90-95% of cats, allowing them to eat and drink without pain. In both cases, a biopsy of the gingival tissue is collected to confirm the diagnosis.
Post-Extraction Care: Post-extraction care focuses on supportive and corrective therapy until the sites heal.
Comprehensive Pain Management: Your cat's comfort is our priority.
Local Anesthetic Blocks: We administer local anesthetic nerve blocks before any surgical procedure to numb the area and provide immediate pain relief. This also allows for less general anesthesia.
Reduced Anesthetic Risk: Our carefully chosen combination of medications minimizes the general anesthesia needed, further decreasing anesthetic risk.
Extended Pain Relief: Our pain management protocols often provide comfort for 2-3 days post-procedure, sometimes eliminating the need for additional oral pain medications at home.
Are there other treatment options, for non-responsive cases?
Medical Management: We can work with your primary veterinarian for long-term medical management in cases that don’t resolve with extractions alone.
Laser Therapy: Laser thermoablation can be performed under anesthesia to induce scar tissue formation over inflamed areas, as scar tissue is less prone to inflammation. Removing proliferative oral tissues by lasing can remove tissue producing antigens and areas where bacteria are sequestered. Laser thermoablation combined with cyclosporine therapy can yield good results without extractions.
Immunosuppressants (Cyclosporine/steroids): Cyclosporine is an immunomodulation drug that helps the body fight against the cells that care causing the issue. It can have long-term benefits in reducing the immunologic events that contribute to GS. Less commonly steroids are used to treat the immune response.
Is Treatment for Gingivostomatitis Right for Your Cat?
If your cat is showing signs of oral discomfort or has been diagnosed with gingivostomatitis, a personalized plan is crucial for a pain-free life. We are here to discuss all options and create a comprehensive oral health plan for your pet.
Contact us today to schedule a dental consultation.