gingivitus in 8 month old

verna davies

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
My 8 month old cat has gingivitus. She has had tests for calicuvirus, fiv etc and they are negative. Any advice please on how to help her.her teeth have no plaque
 

margd

Chula and Paul's roommate
Veteran
Joined
Feb 24, 2015
Messages
15,669
Purraise
7,838
Location
Maryland USA
Have you asked the vet about this?  Gingivitis can indicate a serious medical condition and can be painful.  Your kitten might need a professional cleaning. It's very rare in kittens so young, which is why you really need to get a vet's input.

Check out the following for more information:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/gingivitis-and-stomatitis-in-cats

One thing you can do at home that will help is to brush your cat's teeth.  See the following for more info:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/brushing-your-cats-teeth

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/278813/brushing-teeth

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/106557/brushing-their-teeth

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=56

There are quite a few youtube videos on brushing cat's teeth as well.  A quick search pulled up the following.  

https://www.google.com/#q=youtube+brushing+cat's+teeth

I'm only just starting to brush my cat's teeth, which is why I'm sending you links and not giving you the benefit of my experience.  However, I have found that my cats really like the C.E.T. poultry flavored toothpaste.  A lot of people recommend this but I understand it is hard to find so snap some up if you find some!  
 

pipperoo

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 21, 2016
Messages
169
Purraise
277
Location
Vancouver, BC
Definitely get input from your vet.  I thought my 8-month old had a terrible case of gingivitis - telltale red line all along her gum line and bad breath.  Turns out she was a late teether.  She chomped her way through a large cardboard box (bite, tear, spit) over the course of about four weeks and now all is well.  We're still trying to get into brushing - I'm willing but Pip isn't!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

verna davies

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
Morning.
thanks for all the infor and links.I have been taking kiwi to the cat protection where I got her and they said there is not a lot I can do. To give her raw beef or lamb to stimulate the gums so bought steak yesterday and gave her gums a good workout. Also have been to the vets. She had antibiotic and steroid injection. Have to take her back in 3 weeks. He thinks it could be hypersensitivity to some of the food or maybe overactive saliva glands in mouth but there is no drooling.
will try to get that toothpaste and look at the links.
have you any knowledge on coconut oil. That is supposed to be good for gums.
thanks again. Am willing to give anything a go.
 

lisahe

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Messages
6,150
Purraise
4,969
Location
Maine
Another thing you could ask about is testing for the Bartonella bacterium: our cats both had significant gingivitis and dental issues before they were two so our vet tested them for Bartonella when they had full dental cleanings. Both cats had Bartonella and were treated successfully. More than a year later, their mouths look a lot better, though we also brush their teeth daily now (also with CET toothpaste, which the cats love) so can't say for sure whether it was the antibiotics or the brushing that improved things.

The Bartonella connection isn't universally accepted but our vet (who's a cat specialist) says she sees dental improvements in many/most cats she treats for Bartonella. Here's a link (here!) to a vet practice's site that mentions similar results.

Good luck!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

verna davies

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
Thank you. Will look this up and talk to my vet on the next visit
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

verna davies

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
Morning.
just taken kiwi back to vets and he thinks the gingivitus is caused because she goes not break down the protein in her food as she should thus the immune system is not stimulated in the usual way. Has anyone had this problwm with their cat. Any help it advise would be appreciated.
Who would have thought that such a ssmall animal could cause such a big
 

margd

Chula and Paul's roommate
Veteran
Joined
Feb 24, 2015
Messages
15,669
Purraise
7,838
Location
Maryland USA
Did your vet give you any suggestions about changing Kiwi's diet or adding supplements or meds to help?  None of my cats have had this problem so I can't offer any advice but you might post about it in the Nutrition forum.  http://www.thecatsite.com/f/64/cat-nutrition   A lot of people posting there have cats with special dietary needs and perhaps one or more may recognize this syndrome.  Good luck - I hope you figure out a good way to manage the problem.  
 

LTS3

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Aug 29, 2014
Messages
19,209
Purraise
19,695
Location
USA
 I don't think gingivitis is a diet or immune issue. It's an oral health issue. Some cats are genetically prone to gingivitis so there's really not much you can do other than doing regular home dental care like tooth brushing. Here's some info: http://www.avdc.org/dentaldisease.html

Can you take your cat to a veterinary dental specialist? A veterinary dental specialist has been specially trained in oral health and care while regular vets often don't even know how to do a basic exam. Kind of like going to a Human dentist for a root canal instead of a primary care doctor.

I take it that you are not in the US. Here are other veterinary dental society web sites for other parts of the world. There may be info there you can show to your vet or you can find a veterinary dentist in your area.

http://www.evds.org/

http://www.ava.com.au/about-us/who-does-what/groups/special-interest-groups-6

http://www.bvda.co.uk/
 
Top