Symptoms & Treatments for Feline Stomatitis: A Comprehe

What are the causes of feline stomatitis?

Primarily, it is often attributed to unclean teeth. When cats consume food, particularly human leftovers or certain canned products, the residue can stick to their teeth, forming tartar. If not promptly cleaned, tartar accumulates over time, leading to bacterial growth. This disrupts the oral environment, resulting in inflamed and swollen gums.

Without timely cleaning and treatment, the bacteria in the mouth can multiply, leading to the ulceration of oral mucosa. As these bacteria enter the digestive system with food, they can also disrupt the internal environment of the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, due to the destruction of the oral environment, inflamed gums, and damaged oral mucosa, bacteria can enter the bloodstream through the wounds, posing a threat to various organs. This is why the stray cat mentioned at the beginning of the article, suffering from stomatitis, also experienced issues with liver and kidney function.

So, how can we treat and prevent stomatitis?

Generally, a combination of antibiotics and corticosteroids can be used to treat mild cases of stomatitis. For cats with chronic, severe stomatitis, as mentioned earlier, tooth extraction is necessary to cure the condition and alleviate the cat's suffering. (After tooth extraction, you can feed your cat softened food and canned products, which will not interfere with their eating habits.)

Regularly cleaning your cat's teeth is the best form of protection. Try to avoid feeding them human leftovers (this applies to domestic cats; for stray cats, this is often uncontrollable).

Do not underestimate feline stomatitis. Once the oral cavity is affected, it can impact the entire body system. Consider this: if humans have dental issues, they may experience a loss of appetite, poor sleep, reduced appetite, weight loss, and a lack of energy. If left untreated, various health problems can arise. Cats are no different. Therefore, taking good care of your cat's teeth is the first step towards ensuring their happy and healthy growth.