Feline Gum Disease/Kitten Gingivitis
Three classifications of kitten dental disease.
- Juvenile hyperplastic gingivitis – young cats with red very inflamed gums Early onset gingivitis – moderately inflamed red gums in kittens and young cats at the veterinary dentist.
- Juvenile onset gingivitis and periodontitius – gum and periodontal disease
- Tooth Resorption – the process when tooth structure breaks down, usually from within the tooth. This is the most common reason for tooth loss in cats.
Treatments of feline Dental Disease
Always try Conservative in milder cases as dentistry is often a preventative medical condition – eg day brushing in a compliant patient. Good feline dental oral hygine and home care if possible.
Double headed tooth brush in select cases. Cat dental finger brushes.
1/3 of cats will not allow brushing ever ! can detroy your relationship with your cat with dental therapy
Diet hills t/d feline tooth diet.
- Dental scaling of cats teeth alone is not enough !
- followed by polishing of the crowns of the feline teeth –to smooth grooves
- followed by cleaning and flushing of the cats oral cavity
- followed by drying of the oral cavity
- Flouride – Sanos or PlaqueOFF
Should one use steroids in feline juvenile gingivitis ?
It helps short term but there are numerous side effects of steroids in cats with dental disease the steroids become less useful over time . One gets a false impression of the curatiove effects
Steriods do not stop the bone loss, immuno-suppressoin and decreased IgA in long term may worsen the problem
Should one use Antibiotics in feline kitten gum disease ?
Often viral cause so will not help
and feline dental antibiotics will not decrease the plaque biofilm present on the teeth already !
Antibiotics “camouflage” the symptoms of the feline dental diseae rather than solve the problem!!
Surgical anaesthetic cat dental
Recommend Pre anaesthetic bloods and possibly viral testing for FIV
A full mouth evaluation with oral x-rays ( We are okay to do the dental without this if costs are an issue)
Gingevectomy to remove free gum margin of the groove is more than 1 mm
Preanaethetic antibiotics and pain relief for cats with veterinary dental problems
Re Visit 10 -14 days as a follow up.
And home care after the feline dental procedure..
Don’t start with steroids and antibiotics and wait and see
Information based on information from veterinary dental specialist Dr Gawor – and personal experience feline dentals by Dr Phil doing feline dentistry.