Chronic calicivirus causing mouth sores and bad breath.

[MidEastcats]

I have a cat rescued from the street who is about a year old and generally in very good health with plenty of energy and a good appetite.

He does however have chronic terrible breath and mouth sores. This clears up with antibiotics, but returns a few weeks later.
2 vets I have seen say it's feline calicivirus which, as it hasn't cleared up by now, is chronic, and can only be controlled.

I have tried L-Lysine, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference, and nor do types of Royal Canin which promise to boost immunity. I worry that it may one day stop him eating.

Has anyone had any success with other methods in similar cases?

 

[Maurey]

Has he specifically been tested for the virus? While it’s a common cause of sores and halitosis, it’s not the only one. Differential diagnostic would be useful, given he doesn’t have a URI, which is also a common symptom of calicivirus. Imo, but unusual for him to have the ulcers and bad breath and no other symptoms, especially with a chronic condition. In your position I’d consult with a vet dentist and rule out dental issues. The symptoms you describe could easily be caused by chronic ulcerative paradental stomatitis, or something similar.

 

[MidEastcats]

Has he specifically been tested for the virus? While it’s a common cause of sores and halitosis, it’s not the only one. Differential diagnostic would be useful, given he doesn’t have a URI, which is also a common symptom of calicivirus. Imo, but unusual for him to have the ulcers and bad breath and no other symptoms, especially with a chronic condition. In your position I’d consult with a vet dentist and rule out dental issues. The symptoms you describe could easily be caused by chronic ulcerative paradental stomatitis, or something similar.

Thanks, this is really interesting. He hasn't been tested. I'm in Jordan, and go to the nicest vet here, and doubt it's an option, although I'll certainly ask, and I'll also ask about the condition you mentioned. Whatever it is, the antibiotics
(spiramycin/metronidazole) seemed to clear it up entirely, and I could just go on using them every so often, I suppose, but this surely isn't great for him.

 

[MidEastcats]

Has he specifically been tested for the virus? While it’s a common cause of sores and halitosis, it’s not the only one. Differential diagnostic would be useful, given he doesn’t have a URI, which is also a common symptom of calicivirus. Imo, but unusual for him to have the ulcers and bad breath and no other symptoms, especially with a chronic condition. In your position I’d consult with a vet dentist and rule out dental issues. The symptoms you describe could easily be caused by chronic ulcerative paradental stomatitis, or something similar.

A specialied vet dentist is also not an option here. :.( Hopefully in a few months I will be able to bring him with me to the UK where things will be better.

 

[Victoria21]

My cat has similar issues. However antibiotics are not fixing her problem. I was told by our vet that make cat had gingivitis. I was told they could remove most of her teeth and it MAY fix the problem. Just curious if you ever got a diagnosis. Ty!

 

[MidEastcats]

I took him to a very good but super expensive vet who cleaned his teeth really thoroughly a couple of times a few months apart and also gave him some anti-biotic injections and made me give him Radogyl for a week. I think a few teeth were removed but most of them are okay. Since then his breath has been okay and I haven't noticed any major sores. I never got a test to see if it was actually calicivirus, but I'm guessing from the improvement that it wasn't.

 

[Maurey]

Very happy to hear he’s doing better