Healthy gums how can I keep them that way

golden_moon_luv

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OK I have one cat with redish gums. She eats good and has no real pain I can see. What can I do to get her gums healthy again? Is there something I can buy to put in their water or feed them to maintain good gums?

I've seen some solution you put in water for dogs to help with the gums, do they have it for the cats?


I tried to do a form search but it just brought up every thing.

Ashley
 

gayef

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Originally Posted by golden_moon_luv

OK I have one cat with redish gums. She eats good and has no real pain I can see. What can I do to get her gums healthy again? Is there something I can buy to put in their water or feed them to maintain good gums? I've seen some solution you put in water for dogs to help with the gums, do they have it for the cats? I tried to do a form search but it just brought up every thing.
If the gums are red where they meet the teeth, then it is gingivitis and the only thing to get rid of it is to have the vet do a subgingival scraping. If you have a cat prone to gingivitis, you will need to have the vet to the scraping at least annually if not then bi-annually. And, if there is redness, then there is pain whether you want to think so or not.

There is a product that is poured into the pet's water dish however I don't trust anything like that - the best treatment is a pre-operative course of antibiotics and the scraping. Period.

~gf~
 

hissy

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And ignoring it will not make it get better. Your cat really needs a vet to evaluate the mouth. Gum disease on cats (just as in humans) is a serious issue.
 

gayef

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Originally Posted by hissy

And ignoring it will not make it get better. Your cat really needs a vet to evaluate the mouth. Gum disease on cats (just as in humans) is a serious issue.
Yes, it really is a serious issue!! The infection in the gums (that is what gingivitis is - an infection) can go systemic and when it does, the kidneys are working on overtime to help cleanse the system and if not attended to immediately, they can shut right down.

If your cat had an infection in his ear, you would treat it. You would treat an infection in the eyes or anywhere else for that matter too - but so many people don't worry about gingivitis and the cat normally ends up in Chronic Renal Failure because of it.

~gf~
 

strebor

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"but so many people don't worry about gingivitis and the cat normally ends up in Chronic Renal Failure because of it."

sorry to hijack this thread.

Hi Gayef, I don't know if you remember me but I talked to you several months ago about my Snowshoe cat Riley, with his chronic (severe) gingivitus due to an immunodeficiency problem. Your post sort of scared me, Riley's gums have always been red since he was a young kitten (and painful), and we've tried EVERYTHING with him. Aggressive treatment with antibiotics (Antirobe and now Cipro, which seems to work better on him), which he's been on and off for almost two years now.

We've been giving him this stuff everyday called Transfer Factor which seems to help him, and at the very least, lengthens the time between each of his outbreaks (which used to come every 2-3 weeks, now he's only had one smaller since we started him about 2 months ago), and he seems to be more active and even happier. Anyway, do you think he's still in danger of that chronic renel failure? Is there any tests that I can have the vet do to check for this sort of thing? He's never mentioned anything like that to us.
Thanks.
 

gayef

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I do remember you, quite well in fact, and have been wondering how you and Riley have been getting along.

In answer to your question, I think Riley's vet is probably seeing him frequently and by rights, would probably also be pulling blood for outside lab analysis on a regular basis - so any renal compromise would be able to be seen in the early stages by looking at the BUN, creatinine and amylase functions.

When we last "spoke", I think I may have touched upon a last resort sort of thing - a full mouth extraction. I had a Siamese that also had severe gingivitis and NOTHING helped. I ended up having to have all of her teeth removed. And while that did help some, it didn't stop the problem totally and of course, she was on antirobe (and Cipro as well) for the remainder of her life.

I think as long as you make 100% absolutely certain the vet is getting bloodwork done regularly, Riley is in good hands. But yes, the gingivitis infections can and do create a problem in that a secondary systemic infection can present and kill the kidneys.

I don't mean to frighten you or anyone else for that matter, but it is important to understand how serious it can become.

I am so glad to hear from you again - as I mentioned, I have wondered how you were getting along.

Hugs to Riley,

G
 

missy&spikesmom

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My poor little Missy Kitty has had this. The Vet told me that Siamese Cats are VERY prone to this, and he suspects that Missy has Siamese Blood in her. Her teeth got bad REALLY, REALLY FAST!!!!!!! I had them cleaned and two teeth fell out during the cleaning! I had another vet then, and I was BEYOND upset, as she almost died after the cleaning, from a secondary infection. I had ASSUMED the Vet had given her an antibiotic shot with the dental procedure.... WRONG!!! He never gave her ANYTHING!!! My POOR little Miss Missy almost died!!!!! I was new here to this website and I posted about it and the IMMEDIATE response was not to assume she got an antibiotic shot(so she may well not recover on her own, without getting a STRONG antibiotic--and SOON!!!) I got off the internet, grabbed my cat and got her into another Vet within the hour. They kept her and got her better, and now she has her teeth cleaned every 4 months. Her teeth are continueing to deteriorate, even with the close follow-up with the new Vet. He said she has "Calcium Resorption" and eventually all her little teeth will fall out, no matter what we do. BUT, we CAN keep her comfortable and try to keep the teeth she still does have, in as good a shape as possible, for as long as possible! I am STILL so, so grateful, for all the kind help the posters here, gave me, when I needed it most!!!
 
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