Dealing with stomatitis

ziggy'smom · Jul 31, 2010

My poor boy Red has stomatitis and my vets haven't been very helpful in finding a way to deal with it long term. We have a new vet since two months ago and I'm hoping it will get better but I'd like to get some advice here.

I'm actually very ashamed to admit that I didn't know until recently how serious and painful this is. I knew his teeth and gums were bad but I didn't realize that it could cause him so much pain and it didn't occur to me that his aggression toward the other cats could be due to pain. I thought it was just the way he was. He also has other health problems and those have taken center stage and the mouth problems haven't been focused on much. Lately though I think it's gotten worse and something has to be done about it.

Last time we went to the vet he got a prescription for Buprenorphine but because it's $3 a dose and we only got ten doses to give as needed I've only been giving it to him on occasion when he seemed to be very annoyed with the other cats. I'm not sure how else to determine when he's in pain. The last few days though he's started to sit in the bathtub and meow lowdly. When I hear it and go to check on him he just seems to want to be petted. I'm not sure if this behavior is due to pain.
He's also not been wanting to eat much lately. He eats a little but not much. Oddly enough I've seen him sitting over the other cats' dry food eating that so I'm not sure if the not wanting to eat has anything to do with the teeth. I've tried to get him to drink KMR but he's not interested. He will eat soft treats in small pieces though. He's not a huge fan of healthy food so that may be why he doesn't want to eat his regular food although he did eat it before.

I'm not quite sure how to deal with this. It's especially hard since I don't know how much pain he's in and if it's constant. Should he get pain meds every day or when should he get it? Is it cruel not to give him pain meds every day? He can't stay on Buprenorphine every day for the rest of his life either. So, what should I do? He hasn't lost any teeth but his gums are very red all over.
I would really appreciate any advice from someone who has dealt with this before. Is there any pain medication that would work but is cheaper than the Buprenorphine? Is $3 a dose (0.2ml) a normal price?

Thanks

carolina · Jul 31, 2010

Originally Posted by Ziggy'smom

My poor boy Red has stomatitis and my vets haven't been very helpful in finding a way to deal with it long term. We have a new vet since two months ago and I'm hoping it will get better but I'd like to get some advice here.

I'm actually very ashamed to admit that I didn't know until recently how serious and painful this is. I knew his teeth and gums were bad but I didn't realize that it could cause him so much pain and it didn't occur to me that his aggression toward the other cats could be due to pain. I thought it was just the way he was. He also has other health problems and those have taken center stage and the mouth problems haven't been focused on much. Lately though I think it's gotten worse and something has to be done about it.

Last time we went to the vet he got a prescription for Buprenorphine but because it's $3 a dose and we only got ten doses to give as needed I've only been giving it to him on occasion when he seemed to be very annoyed with the other cats. I'm not sure how else to determine when he's in pain. The last few days though he's started to sit in the bathtub and meow lowdly. When I hear it and go to check on him he just seems to want to be petted. I'm not sure if this behavior is due to pain.
He's also not been wanting to eat much lately. He eats a little but not much. Oddly enough I've seen him sitting over the other cats' dry food eating that so I'm not sure if the not wanting to eat has anything to do with the teeth. I've tried to get him to drink KMR but he's not interested. He will eat soft treats in small pieces though. He's not a huge fan of healthy food so that may be why he doesn't want to eat his regular food although he did eat it before.

I'm not quite sure how to deal with this. It's especially hard since I don't know how much pain he's in and if it's constant. Should he get pain meds every day or when should he get it? Is it cruel not to give him pain meds every day? He can't stay on Buprenorphine every day for the rest of his life either. So, what should I do? He hasn't lost any teeth but his gums are very red all over.
I would really appreciate any advice from someone who has dealt with this before. Is there any pain medication that would work but is cheaper than the Buprenorphine? Is $3 a dose (0.2ml) a normal price?

Thanks

Ok, two things to start: Another vet ASAP - you need a dentist (preferably one with a lot of experience in stomatitis or a specialist, but definitely a dentist - this is NOT something to be treated by vets), and yes - do not want to scare you, but this is an extremely painful condition, and for what you are describing your kitty is in a lot of pain... The pain is constant and it requires treatment, rather then pain management. I can not believe this is all your doctor is doing... At the very least and I mean, the VERY LEAST, this cat should been given a round of Clindamycin and some depo-medrol shot, to buy you time to get to a dentist... (Depo-medrol for these cases should be only used short term, due to side effects, such as diabetes....)
I have a cat with Stomatitis, and have great success with a daily meds plus dentals treatment... Since Bugsy begun on it his live has improved considerably - simply put, he is another cat. I go to a specialized clinic here in Dallas, but they are the only ones who offer this treatment.
The great majority of kitties with Stomatitis get cured with full mouth extraction, performed by specialized dentists. Your kitty will be able to eat dry food just as well with no teeth, by the way.

No matter what you choose, please ,please take your kitty to the dentist.

Another thing that my dentist and my vet both told me: Dentals alone, with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory will not work - you might as well toss your money out... you are just buying a little more time.... If your vet offers you a dental, go to a dentist - a dental will do nothing for your kitty.

Long term pain meds are not good for the kidneys - you do not want to go to that route for too long....

mystik spiral · Jul 31, 2010

Originally Posted by Carolina

The great majority of kitties with Stomatitis get cured with full mouth extraction, performed by specialized dentists. Your kitty will be able to eat dry food just as well with no teeth, by the way.

My kitty had stomatitis, and her vet recommended a full mouth extraction, which was performed by a dentist. I know exactly how you feel not knowing how much pain your cat was in. I knew Holland's teeth were bothering her, but when her vet showed me her red, swollen, bleeding gums, I started to cry.

Her procedure was expensive, but I used Care Credit to pay for it, and at the very least, I know she's not in pain anymore and I will never have to deal with any teeth problems with her again. She can eat dry food and groom herself just fine, and she became a much more playful cat after having her teeth pulled.

Good luck!

2gr8cats · Sep 3, 2010

My boy Walli has had quite a battle with Stomatitis over the past 6 months. We started by extracting a few teeth as recommended by an Oral Specialist, but that didn't cure the issue. The remainder of Walli's teeth were removed back in May and he had been doing well since. Just last week the Stomatitis reared it's ugly face again and now we're forced to decide whether we would like to start laser treatments or not. From what I've read full extractions eliminate Stomatitis in most cats.

carolina · Sep 3, 2010

Originally Posted by 2GR8Cats

My boy Walli has had quite a battle with Stomatitis over the past 6 months. We started by extracting a few teeth as recommended by an Oral Specialist, but that didn't cure the issue. The remainder of Walli's teeth were removed back in May and he had been doing well since. Just last week the Stomatitis reared it's ugly face again and now we're forced to decide whether we would like to start laser treatments or not. From what I've read full extractions eliminate Stomatitis in most cats.

Full mouth extraction works for some cats, but not for others... I chose a treatment as oppose to extractions. Bugsy is on remission, and doing really well on it. He does need to take daily meds though.

momofmany · Sep 3, 2010

Also remember that stomatitis is a generic term used for gum inflamation, and not all stomatitises are created equal.

I had a cat with chronic stomatitis where all she needed was an occassional dental and put on antibiotics. I have a cat that has had all his teeth extracted because his version of stomatitis was caused by an auto-immune disease.

I do know this. Putting them on pain medication doesn't resolve the problem - it's only treating the symptoms and not the cause. I seriously suggest having a biopsy taken to see if you can determine what is triggering it, then the treatment can be developed after that.

I agree with Carolina - you need to start with anti-biotics and some steroids to reduce the inflamation. Clindamycin is good, and I have used others for mouth problems. You may want to get a referral to a vet that specializes in dentistry.

carolina · Sep 3, 2010

I should have mentioned that the dental treatments that Bugsy had in the beggining of his treatment was special for Stomatitis, not the regular dental treatment... I know for example that he had antibiotics and steroids injected directly into his gums; the cleaning is much deaper into the gums too. This is why IMHO it is important to go to a dentist, where they deal with Stomatitis patients much more often, rather then a vet, who would be working more towards cleaning the teeth than treating the disease.
Bugsy's case is an autoimmune disease.

Dealing with stomatitis

ziggy'smom

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carolina

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mystik spiral

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2gr8cats

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carolina

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momofmany

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carolina

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