Lesions Roof of Mouth, Mouth Problems, Help Us Solve this Mystery

Hi, My vets have been attempting to solve a mystery with my 9 month old kitten.  Initially started with other symptoms, throwing up and constipation, but the most serious stuff started when I tried to feed him and he jumped back from the food.  The kitten wants to eat, he is clearly hungry and eager to, but when I set the food down he tries to pick it up off the plate and then jumps back as though he has been hit by a sharp pain.  Then he gives up.  He also has been throwing up and eventually was running a very high fever 104.9.   His fever persists and he is hospitalized.  We finally got him to eat some baby food this afternoon. 

Since anecdotal evidence often helps has anyone ever seen anything like this???  Any clues at all.  Sounds like Mouth problems are relatively rare, especially in a young cat.   Thanks.  Reba

hi @Reba,  you say your kitten is hospitalized now?  Did they run all the bloodwork, and check for fiv and felv? Have the results come in?

Also when you tried to feed him, was the food wet and mashed down, warmed up a bit?

I don't think mouth problems are that rare, if the underlying cause is a condition like fiv and felv.  But he still can be treated.  so by taking him in, that is a good thing.

If he has an infection of some sort, or an abscess, that would cause inflammation and pain.  Only a vet could tell you definitively.  With fever there is always infection or inflammation in the body.

Yes, they have run all the bloodwork and nothing abnormal.  He was tested for FEV/FELV when he was  two months old and was negative.  He has been in the house all his life.  I have only fed him wet food his entire life.  He was able to eat some baby food this afternoon. 

I'm so sorry to hear about your kittens problems. I have two colony cats that get stomatitis from time to time. I can tell that it hurts them to eat. Our vet treats then with steroids but I'm not too crazy about that, or the expense. I hope that he gets better soon. It breaks my heart to know he is hungry but that food is hurtful.

I would have him retested for FIV/FeLV.  Has the vet considered stomatitis or a feline herpes flare up?

sweetthangtx said:

I'm so sorry to hear about your kittens problems. I have two colony cats that get stomatitis from time to time. I can tell that it hurts them to eat. Our vet treats then with steroids but I'm not too crazy about that, or the expense. I hope that he gets better soon. It breaks my heart to know he is hungry but that food is hurtful.

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Thank you, @sweetthangtx  ...I was thinking stomatitis, after, but would think that the vets would pick that up right away,

and also that the fiv and felv tests do sometimes need to be repeated with another laboratory which does more detailed testing, looking at the differentials in the blood such as neutrophils and monocytes.

Could it be because of nausea that your kitten is not eating and vomitting?  Is it possible that he ate something that caused a blockage?  Also, did the vets give him some medication in the meantime?  like antibiotics?

Feline Calicivirus (FCV) causes painful ulcers on the tongue, hard palate, gums, lips, or nose.

Feline calicivirus is a very good possibility.  Have you had him tested for it?

Here are a few resources for you regarding calicivirus. 

http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_ct_feline_calicivirus

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pe...imal-health/feline-calicivirus-infection/4132

stephanietx said:

 
Here are a few resources for you regarding calicivirus. 

http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_ct_feline_calicivirus

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pe...imal-health/feline-calicivirus-infection/4132

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Hi @stephanietx  ....thanks for that link, too.   Can I ask you, since it says that the "core" vaccines would cause immunity?   but on another thread I read, members were discussing either giving 3 yr vaccines, or 1 year vaccines?

What do you think is best, in your opinion? for a young cat?  and also for a senior, over age 14 yr old, cat?

I would appreciate any thoughts.  thanks.

I, personally, don't get my kitties vaccinated after they've had their kitten shots and rabies.  My kitties don't go outside, aren't exposed to other cats, and I don't foster.  I have one cat who has feline herpes, so her immune system is already compromised enough.  My vet's okay with this, so that's what we do.  I just take them in for an annual check up and if/when there's a need between visits, which thankfully, hasn't been often.

Most of these things like calicivirus and rhinotracheitis outbreaks are caused by stress, so keeping stress in your home to a minimum is one way to curb the flare ups.  It's possible that even with the core vaccines, an outbreak will occur given the right circumstances.

Thanks for that reply.  That helps. I'll talk it over with my vet, too, but I think up here in ontario, they are all into the yearly shots.  But I am going to bring up these points.

Just because the vets may be all into the yearly shots doesn't mean you have to be.  I've gone round and round with vets about this.

@stephanietx  ...So do you have only one vet.? Or do you keep two on hand in case of emergency?  Up here, its like the first thing they ask...."is your cat up to date with vaccines?"  they are not too expensive....somewhere like $75-100 CAD,....but I was mainly thinking that the 14 yr old would not need them....anymore.  I will be getting another cat though, so just wanted the cat to have all the protection it can.

And when you said "stress"....does that mean noise and music in the environment....or just household family stuff? 
 

@Reba, how is your cat today? Have you had any further discussions with your vet?

Update:  Kitten is still hospitalized though his fever is down.  They were having problems getting him to eat, but he ate this afternoon.  When I saw him at he looked bright eyed and attentive, though not real happy about the IV in his paw.  We were thinking about taking him to a specialist this morning, but he stabilized so the decision was made to wait it out.  They are waiting for a test they sent out where they take swabs of the back of his throat and roof of his mouth.  He gets antibiotics three times a day and an anti-inflammatory shot. 

He is eating mainly the baby food, but he had some regular food when I was there.  He hasn't pooped yet.  The decision was made to keep him there since he has a history of being up and down all week long. 

At home the big worry is that this Tom I brought inside (who was negative for FIV/FELV) is infected with some sort of virus.  He had all his shots last Tuesday, but I suppose that doesn't mean he wasn't a carrier.  Anyway, my plan is to start disinfecting the house top to bottom with bleach.  Any suggestions in this regard would be much appreciated.  I have two other kittens and another cat which he was exposed to prior to my other cat getting sick.  Vet thinks chances are low he was the cause, but I am not so sure.  I was petting him quite a bit even before he got into the house.  My kittens were all vaccinated long ago, but I'm assuming that there are forms of calcivirus they can still catch from other cats.

Sorry to be sort of rambling, tired and overwhelmed at this point.

Poor little guy. Sending lots of vibes! 

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if the kitten caught something from the Tom, especially if the timing is suspicious.

oh @Reba....i appologize for taking your thead off tangent.  I did not mean to hijack it..and I should have asked my questions in my own thread.

As far as the bleach goes, I just usually dilute it down with a 10:1  ratio for cleaning and stronger for disinfecting.  So if I were disinfecting, I'd use 10ml for half a liter....and for cleaning its 10ml to a liter.

I also use a product called ZEP anti bacterial solution from Home Depot.

Since your guy is at the hospital, he will be in good hands, so you have to take care of yourself, too.  Try to do something distracting, or just watch t.v.... get some sleep....and don't forget to eat.

Hi Cat Nap.  Thank you for your kind words.  We have a diagnosis - Bartonella.   Vet is not absolutely sure that is what caused him to get sick, I tend to agree with her that he cut the roof of his mouth on something and it got infected, but anyway, he is on a three week course of antibiotics for treatment.  Don't know if the other kittens have it too I have three of them altogether, plus the two parent strays I have taken in.  The vet says it is pretty ubiquitous among cats and there is some controversy on how to treat it.