Gingia disorders in cats: symptoms and treatment

Author: Dr. Ruxandra Tenia

When we discuss your cat oral hygiene, we can face a multitude of topics. The most often reported problems by the owners are the halitosis and bleeding of the gums.

Today we will discuss the diseases of the gums in cats of different ages, from young people to adults and the elderly.

The rubber condition is called gingivitis and represents chronic inflammation of the rubber.

The diseases of the gums are progressive and extend under the rubber insertion line. They affect the support fabrics of the teeth and bone, defending the periodontal.

Gingia disorders in cats: symptoms

The gingivitis occurs through the bright and inflamed red gums, which bleed easily on the brushing or when dried food is broken or chewed. Most of the time, gingivitis evolves without pain or with bearable pain. For this reason, most of the owners do not notice this change, discovered by the veterinarian during other checks.

When the gingivitis is not treated, progress and can be complicated by paradontal diseases.

The rubber will come off the tooth and leave deep spaces. In these spaces, the bacteria that will participate in the destruction of the bone that fix the tooth develop.

The gingival retraction leads to the appearance of elongated teeth due to their discovery. The teeth become mobile, they can fall or will have to be extracted, under local or total anesthesia.

Most of the time, gingivitis and gingival bleeding are in close correlation with the appearance of tartar on the teeth and in the space between tooth and rubber.

The cats that eat wet foods exclusively are prepared and are not regularly brushed by the owners.

Gingia disorders in cats: treatment

The recommendation is to make an ultrasound descent. It can only be performed under total inhalation anesthesia every 6 months. The decaling must be completed by a brushing with a special abrasive pasta, which has the role of leveling the surface of the tooth which after the descent remains rough. In the absence of brushing, the accumulation of tartar will occur much faster and easier than in the past.

There are cats that will only need a downgrading per year. At the same time, others may require a 3 -month downgrading.

Dental control must be completed with a radius x per year. This examination allows us to observe both the dental package and the root and positioning of the tooth in the dental bed.

After the descent you will receive treatment with antiseptic solutions, possibly with a broad spectrum antibiotics to prevent possible further infections.

After these medical maneuvers have been taken, the role of the owner is to maintain the hygiene of the oral cavity. As? Through regular brushing with pasta and brushes for special animals, devices impregnated with finger impregnated with chloraxidine, appetent that can be administered in drinking water and others.

There are also different types of croquettes whose shape and size guarantees a mechanical brushing of the teeth at the time of chewing.

Over time, these conditions can degrade the tooth, the root and the bone, causing pain, infections and even definitive loss of the teeth.

Gingia disorders in cats: other causes

In gangivitis cats it can occur as a clinical manifestation in viral diseases such as feline leukemia, feline, calicivirosis or autoimmune diseases such as gingivitis of lymphoplasmite.

The signs in which the owners must be careful are: Halen or the halitosis, bright red gum, aubergines sometimes, bleeding (from mouth or nose), sometimes spontaneous, hypersalivation, moving food from one side of the mouth to the other during chewing, light swelling of the face, lack of nutrition, etc.

Most of the time the refusal of food does not intervene due to the lack of appetite or pain during chewing. The discomfort occurs when the cat is trying to bring food to the back of the mouth through the movements of the tongue that causes pain in the gums.

Sometimes cats can develop the inflammation of the entire mucosa of the oral cavity. This condition is called stomatitis and can occur in an autoimmune disease such as lupus. Cats with serious compromise are unable to swallow their saliva.

Treatment methods in gum disorders can sometimes seem rather drastic. In the case of stomatitis, for example, the extraction of all teeth can be recommended. At first glance it may seem a rather radical solution, but the patient will restore comfort and this will still be able to eat the language.

Another condition that can compete with gingivitis is dental reabsorption. The teeth sink into the inflamed gums and finally the body can completely rise the tooth.

The care of your cat’s oral hygiene, towards the teeth and gums, will reflect in its general health.

Regular controls in the vet, as well as prevention treatments, should be taken into consideration by all cat owners, especially by those who do not have time or whose cat tolerates oral hygiene at home.