Red gums at 10 months old?

My cat has red gums on the sides at ten months. I will take him in for a cleaning and check up but have you heard of this?

Maybe his teet didnt erupt right?

Or maybe he just needs a cleaning?

ander35 said:

My cat has red gums on the sides at ten months. I will take him in for a cleaning and check up but have you heard of this?

Maybe his teet didnt erupt right?

Or maybe he just needs a cleaning?

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It would be highly unusual for a 10 mo old to need a cleaning.

Unfortunately it's not that simple, chances are he has the beginning of stomatitis.

This is an autoimmune issue where his body thinks his teeth are intruders, so his system is reacting to his teeth, causing redness. Eventually it will be progressed in to swelling and very painful mouth, won't want to eat, etc.

Vets will try to give a steroid injection but it may help temporarily or it may not.

In the end I always end up having to have all teeth removed, all pieces of root included.

Sorry to break the news but this is likely the reason for the redness now

I looked closely and it is just the sides of the rear upper teeth that affected.

The lwer teeth are not affected at all.

Does this sound like it is maybe not stomatius?

A

I had a kitty who had a dental when she was about 10 mos or so.  She didn't have stomatitis, but just needed a good cleaning because she'd had a rough start to her life before coming to us. 

Well I can't say I have ever had a kitten who needed a cleaning at that age. Their teeth should be white and clean with no tarter or discoloration at all.

As having a cat rescue I get them from all over, many are not off to a healthy start, malnourished, etc but have never seen this other than stomatitis in this age and up.

This is when it will start to show itself too.

ander35 said:

I looked closely and it is just the sides of the rear upper teeth that affected.

The lwer teeth are not affected at all.

Does this sound like it is maybe not stomatius?

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I just saw this in sibling brothers last week, I was asked while at the humane society to have a look at them and I saw the same thing, uppers only on both, one more so then the other, but redness. No swelling to speak of then. It starts with the red color first, must feel somewhat irritating I would think.

If you see a vet for this, hopefully they've seen plenty and will recognize it rather then getting you to spend a good deal on cleaning if it's not the problem.

That would be great if it were, but keep an open mind to the possibility okay?

It's no fun that's for sure.

Yes I have read of quite a few cases of gingivitus, gum disease and infection that was not stomatitis in cats less than 12 months.

I will speak to the vet but it definitely does not seem to be an open and shut case for stomatitus.

ander35 said:

Yes I have read of quite a few cases of gingivitus, gum disease and infection that was not stomatitis in cats less than 12 months.

I will speak to the vet but it definitely does not seem to be an open and shut case for stomatitus.

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Of course not, I just highly suspect it, hopefully not though!

Even if the vet says he needs a cleaning, well he does, but it also doesn't mean it will end there, and may very well develop in to stomatitis with time.

It's not the norm for kittens to need a cleaning so young. Stomatitis is common unfortunately.

Googling this you will read others posts that their young cat needed a cleaning, but they don't necessarily follow up later to say well he had them cleaned then 5 months later the same problem, and it turned out to be stomatitis. But it often does exactly that.

Good luck.

my cat is 8 months old and has gingivitus. Has been tested for calichivirus etc and is clear. Vet thinks it could be over stimulated saliva glands oor hypersensitivity to certain foods. In process of investigation. Maybe you need to have vet to test for calichi.

Will keep you updated in case your cat has same problem as mine. Good luck