plasmacytic stomatitis

We just got back from the vet and it looks like Samson might have plasmacytic stomatitis, an autoimmune disease affecting his gums. They're all red and he's only 10 months old!

He's getting tested for leukemia/FIV and Bartonella just to rule them out and he's on a course of Clindamycin.

But the vet said down the line he may need dental extractions.

My poor little baby....

Poor little guy! My Stumpy has LPS and what we learned from the disease is that the only way it can be positively diagnosed is through a biopsy. There are a lot of versions of stomatitis, and some look the same. 10 months old is awful young to have it so I'll send that it is something else.

There is a Yahoo group dedicated to the disease. If you want the link, just PM me. They've been very helpful to me over the last 18 months.

My little Cillian has stomatitis. He's was only 8-9 months old when it started to develop. He gets antibiotics once a month to help and I try to brush his teeth as regularly as possible. He has already had to have tartar taken off his teeth. (thankful he is a great little boy and will allow the vet to do it while he is awake)

Just do your best to monitor what his gums look like. lots of vibes

Both Twitch & Cow have no "toothy pegs" as Susan would say! They eat just fine & are better off without them. Twitch lost hers at 2 years, Cow in Dec @ 4-5 years. They are littermates.

Do certain breeds get this more than others? Samson is a Maine Coon.
Is it genetic? Should I inform the breeder?

Can anyone recommend a really good cat toothpaste? (that cats find tasty to make brushing easier...)

Thanks for sharing your stories!
I guess this is kind of a common disease. Does anyone know what percent of cats have it?

C.E.T. makes several different flavors, including chicken, beef and seafood, among others. There is a great article here about introducing the toothbrush to your cat:
http://www.thecatsite.com/Care/14/Br...ats-Teeth.html

This one is from C.E.T.: http://www.cetdental.com/how_to_brush.asp

Make sure you wait until your cat is comfortable at each step before moving on to the next one--trying to rush things will backfire.

The C.E.T. toothpaste has enzymes in it that will help even when you aren't quite to the brushing stage yet. They also make some yummy chews with those enzymes.

Originally Posted by abnihon

Do certain breeds get this more than others? Samson is a Maine Coon.
Is it genetic? Should I inform the breeder?

Can anyone recommend a really good cat toothpaste? (that cats find tasty to make brushing easier...)

Thanks for sharing your stories!
I guess this is kind of a common disease. Does anyone know what percent of cats have it?

Click to expand...

Yes this affects some breeds more than others. I know Maine Coons are one breed and so are Somalis. Yes genetics do play a part. And yes you should most definitely inform the breeder.

My male Somali, Kingston, has stomatitus. It was diagnosed when he was only 10 months old. He is 16 months old now. I brush his teeth every day with the Oxyfresh gel. I know Oxyfresh has helped him.

When I first started using the Oxyfresh I noticed right away the smell of his breath was not as strong. It still stinks just not as strong. Also I slacked off for a few weeks missing some days brushing his teeth and I noticed his gums were bleeding. So I made sure I was brushing his teeth every single day and his gums have not bled since. I really believe that Oxyfresh has helped him.

I also feed Kingston Eukanuba Hairball because it is a dental food and high in fat.

Kingston has been on prednisolone but he currently is not. I know this is going to be life long for him and because he currently is eating good (even gained a pound since his diagnosis)I prefer to wait before we start using prednisolone regularly. Also clindamycin is used regularly for stomatitus kitties.

Teeth extractions do seem to help, I have read in about 60%-80% of cases.

thanks!
I just ordered some C.E.T. toothpaste, chews and oral rinse. I had been sporadically brushing his teeth with Pet Dental, but it sounds like C.E.T. is better, and tastier, so maybe he'll tolerate the brushing better.

He already eats Science Diet dental kibble, which he likes, and they have some Dental Fresh in their water. (though I'm not sure how effective that really is...)