Feline Gum Disease/Kitten Gingivitis

Three classifications of kitten dental disease.

1. 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.
2. Juvenile onset gingivitis and periodontitius – gum and periodontal disease
3. 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.