What are Mouth Inflammation and Ulcers?
Ongoing mouth inflammation and ulcers in cats is termed feline 'stomatitis', characterized by gradually worsened inflammation of the oral mucosal tissues. Feline stomatitis etiology is assumed to be an immune-mediated disease caused by dental disease and viral infections, such as feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus. Ongoing mouth inflammation and ulcers only affect about 3 percent of the feline population with purebred cats being the majority of those affected. Feline stomatitis, although rare, is a very serious and painful disease for cats that can eventual becoming life-threatening if it is left untreated.
Mouth inflammation and ulcers in cats create an extremely painful condition. A cat with this condition may have a difficult time eating or drinking, may have bad breath, drool, and paw at her face. Mouth inflammation often causes a cat’s mouth to develop ulcers on the palate, gums, tongue or lips, which may even prevent the cat from opening her mouth. Mouth inflammation and ulcers are not linked to a single underlying cause, but dental disease is believed to be the main culprit. Mouth inflammation and ulcers in its early stages resembles dental disease and causes pain, making an appointment with the veterinarian essential.
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Symptoms of Mouth Inflammation and Ulcers in Cats
Mouth inflammation and ulcers in cats is one of the very few conditions that will cause a feline to show obvious signs of pain. It is in a cat’s nature to not freely express pain, but feline stomatitis is so painful cats often cry out in pain with a simply yawn. Cat owners also report a type of behavior veterinarians call, “approach-avoidance.” This behavioral term is used to describe a cat who hungrily approaches her food, only to hiss at her bowl and run away. Approach-avoidance behavior is a symptom that develops over time as the feline anticipates the consumption of food to be painful. Behavioral changes may be the first signs of feline stomatitis a cat owner notices, as inflammation and ulcers in the mouth are not easily seen. The following additional symptoms may also be noted in a cat with mouth inflammation and ulcers:
- Severe pain
- Vocalization or crying out upon the opening of the mouth
- Dropping food while eating
- Refusal to eat or drink
- Facial pawing
- Weight loss
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
- Ptyalism (hypersalivation, drooling)
- Poor hair coat
- Red, swollen gums and/or mouth
- Visible ulcers or lesions
Causes of Mouth Inflammation and Ulcers in Cats
The exact cause of mouth inflammation and ulcers in cats is unclear, but what is clear is that the condition appears to be immune-mediated. In other words, feline stomatitis is believed to be an overreaction of the immune system, causing the feline’s own immune system to attack bacteria in the mouth as well as its oral tissues. The immune system is triggered by plaque in the mouth, making feline dental disease the prime suspected cause. Mouth inflammation and ulcers in cats can be caused by dental disease, but also infection and viruses, including:
- Bartonellosis
- Feline calicivirus (FCV)
- Feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1)
- Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)
- Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)
Diagnosis of Mouth Inflammation and Ulcers in Cats
Diagnosis of mouth inflammation and ulcers in cats begins with an examination of your cat’s medical history, including dental records and procedures to rule out standard conditions of the teeth. A physical examination of the mouth will be completed in order to evaluate the level of ulceration. Sedation or a general anaesthetic may be needed to allow the veterinarian to properly examine the feline’s mouth. A visual identification of mucosal inflammation and ulcers will give the veterinarian a diagnosis, but to determine the cause, further testing will be made including:
- Systemic disease evaluation (detection of organ disease)
- Virus isolation test (detection of virus)
- Retroviral test (detection of immune-related virus)
- Histopathological evaluation (detection of oral disorders)
- Biopsy (detection of oral neoplasia)
Treatment of Mouth Inflammation and Ulcers in Cats
Treatment of mouth inflammation and ulcers in cats initially begins with pain control and anti-inflammatory medication. Feline stomatitis is an overreaction of the immune system, so your veterinarian may prescribe a steroid or immunosuppressant drug to suppress the immune system, and suppress the disease. Medicated mouth washes and oral antibiotics may also be prescribed. Although effective, treating feline stomatitis with therapeutic drugs is only temporary, therefore, many veterinarians suggest total dental extractions. Sometimes all teeth are removed while, in other cases, the incisors and canines may be left.
Plaque is the known trigger of feline stomatitis. Plaque is a bacteria that only remains in the mouth when it adheres to the teeth. Rigorous dental care at home (regular tooth brushing, feeding a dental diet and the use of certain products like mouthwash) can help keep the disease at bay.
For many, dental extraction is the only potential cure of feline stomatitis. Sometimes, all premolars and molars are removed. In more severe cases, all teeth are taken out. Unfortunately, a total dental extraction is costly, drastic and in the end, may not cure your cat’s stomatitis.
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Recovery of Mouth Inflammation and Ulcers in Cats
The refractory nature of mouth inflammation and ulcers in cats makes recovery as well as management of the condition frustrating to both parties. Pain management will be continuous for cats with feline stomatitis to improve the quality of their life. A soft food diet will be required for cats who have undergone total dental extractions and routine dental cleanings may be required of those who have not.
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Mouth Inflammation and Ulcers Average Cost
From 455 quotes ranging from $200 - $2,000
Average Cost
$850
Top
Mouth Inflammation and Ulcers Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
cat
One Year
9 found this helpful
9 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Amoxicillin, cat Gruel, aloe Vera liquid and Feline upper respiratory medicine that looks like nitroglycerin we were told not to touch
Jan. 14, 2021
Answered by Dr. Sara O. DVM
9 Recommendations
Hello, this may be infectious. It would be best for you to keep this cat away from the other.
Jan. 14, 2021
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Tabby Cat
Sixteen Years
27 found this helpful
27 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Bad Breath
A few months ago, my cat started pawing at her mouth aggressively after she would eat or drink. Now, she will do this more often and she will paw at her mouth for longer than before. Also, her breath stinks now and her coat is all matted now as well. Oh and either her nose is running or she is drooling out of her mouth. I can’t tell if the stuff is coming from her nose or her mouth. Do you know what could be wrong with her? Would it be worth trying to fix her problem or not since she’s 16 years old?
Dec. 21, 2020
Answered by Dr. Linda S. MVB MRCVS
27 Recommendations
Hi there.
I'm sorry to hear this.
She likely has dental disease and may also have an abscess.
Other possibilities include ulcers and/or a mass.
Absolutely, this is something we can help her with. We would usually prescribe antibiotics and pain relief and she may require a dental.
If you have had tooth ache yourself, you will appreciate that treating it is really essential !
All the best, Dr Linda.
Dec. 21, 2020
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cat
Four Months
10 found this helpful
10 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Swollen Mouth
Hi my 4 month old kittens mouth/face just became swollen over the last few hours but mostly in the right side and has a slimy feel on the outside. She is acting very strange and stand off and when I try to feed her she won’t open her mouth. Also why I try to touch and open her mouth she cries. I’m not sure if I should immediately take her to the vet now or wait until the morning
Nov. 2, 2020
Answered by Dr. Linda S. MVB MRCVS
10 Recommendations
Hi there, I would bring her to the vet right away if you can. Tjks is because, whatever is going on, she would likely benefit from some pain relief.
There are a few possibilities here including am abscess, allergic reaction, bite or string from an animal etc
Nov. 2, 2020
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Domestic cat
Three Years
5 found this helpful
5 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Redness
Swollen lips
Swollen cheeks
Hard swollen chin / jawline
Sept. 24, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
5 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay, this venue is not set up for urgent emails.
I hope that your pet is okay. If they are still having problems, It would be best to have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as they can examine them, see what might be going on, and get any testing or treatment that might be needed.
Oct. 24, 2020
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Kitten
Ten Weeks
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Lethargy Hot Shaking
My 10 week old kitten all the sudden wont play is hot to the touch and shivering sometimes his mouth is bright red and all he wants to do is sleep I found him when he was about 2 weeks old and he loves his bottle he still eats a bottles of kitten milk 2 times a day he also eats kitten food could his bottle be the problem
Sept. 7, 2020
Answered by Dr. Sara O. DVM
0 Recommendations
Hello, If your kitten is warm to the touch, he may have a fever and need to see your vet. He may also be in pain causing him to shiver. It would be best for your kitten to see your vet. They can examine him and make sure that he is okay. While this may just be an issue with his bottle, it could be something more that would need antibiotics and your vet to examine him.
Sept. 7, 2020
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Indie
Kiki
8 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Excessive Drooling
Excessive Drooling Lesion On Tongue
I have 3 female cats who were recently sterilised. Came back normal but one,Tofu,who was taking time to recover and one day started drooling, and showing difficulty to eat. On advice of the vet I administered 2ml of azithral 200mg and it immediately showed results. Course is yet to finish. However one of the other healthier cats started showing the same symptoms but with mouth ulcers/lesions. Kiki isn't eating and drooling excessively. Inappetence is obvious. The vet suggested the same dosage. She went missing on the first day when she showed symptoms and luckily after catching her the next day I administered her with 2ml of azithral 200, but she vomitted about 40 minutes after that and is yet to show any improvement. She is trying to drink water every once in a while but mostly sleeping.
In India vet related issues are yet to find good consultations and diagnosis, especially if you're not loaded enough to spend big-bucks, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Exotic Shorthair
Muji
10 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Hair Loss
Lesion
Bad Appetite
Ulcer At The Back Of Lips
My 10-month-old cat has a small ulcer at the back of his lip. Other than that, his appetite is not as good as before.
He did his health exam 2 months ago and everything was great except there was a small lesion at his lip and the vet said it was probably because he bit something and that it would heal; however, that lesion is still there. I'm not sure if that lesion was an early indication of his dental problem which might have caused the ulcer now.
In addition, he recently has a pretty bad hair loss condition but it's getting better as I started feeding him salmon oil daily.
Because the ulcer condition is mild as of now and he's still pretty lively, it'd be great if I could find the right treatment for him without taking him to the vet. Does someone know what kind of ointment/meds I should get for my cat? Much appreciated!
Mouth Inflammation and Ulcers Average Cost
From 455 quotes ranging from $200 - $2,000
Average Cost
$850
Get a free pet insurance quote in less than 60 seconds!
Easily compare quotes from the most trusted pet insurance companies in the United States.
