Can Feline Stomatitis Be Cured?

1 Causes of Stomatitis

Vitamin deficiency: a lack of vitamins easily triggers mouth disease, including stomatitis.

Viral disease: feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, leukemia (FeLV), or FIV can have stomatitis as a complication.

Chronic kidney problems: diabetes or kidney disease causes dehydration and a dry mouth, leading to stomatitis.

Thyroid disorder: hypothyroidism can cause oral-mucosal ulcers that develop into stomatitis.

Chronic gastritis or gastric ulcer may also bring on stomatitis.

Swallowing something sharp — chicken bones, fish bones, even a nail — can injure the mouth and cause stomatitis.

2 Symptoms

Early signs are reduced or lost appetite, frequent drooling, and trouble chewing. Opening the mouth shows red, swollen mucosa with a foul odor; in severe cases the oral lining develops erosions and ulcers.

3 Treatment and Prevention

For trauma-induced stomatitis, treat the wound and use an antibacterial oral spray. For bacterial stomatitis, apply a topical oral spray on schedule; if it becomes a whole-body inflammation, give oral or injectable anti-inflammatories. For viral stomatitis, fight the virus, boost immunity, and treat the mouth topically.

Prevention: from six months of age, brush the cat’s teeth two or three times a week, and avoid sweets like chocolate that damage enamel. Chew items such as vegetable sticks exercise the jaw and help scrub away tartar and plaque. Have a professional dental cleaning about every six months, and keep up vitamin supplementation.