stomatitis + worse.....what to do?

[creekgirl]

Thank you, red top rescue. Here is an update:

Following full dental extraction both cats had a remission of symptoms for a few weeks, then return of much of the same.

Bosco has resumed his strange "fits" at the food bowl, but maintains a healthy appetite and seems otherwise okay. Scout seemed worse off, continually opening and closing her jaw as if uncomfortable, only eating liquidated portion of slurried food and not much of that. She seemed lethargic and was losing weight.

Called the vet and they said to bring her back in. The vet said she was running a fever. Her lips were swollen, though not her jaw, gums or salivary glands. No infection where teeth had been removed. The vet gave her a steroid shot and said if it helps she could be put on a maintenance level dosage schedule of liquid or pill steroids. And if it works for her, maybe the same for Bosco.

It has only been a few days, but so far the shot seems to have helped Scout. She is more active, has more of an appetite again.

Even the vet is stumped as to what causes this condition. He suggested possible auto-immune system issue, but finds it strange that it is affecting BOTH cats.

I'll update further in hopes that it may help someone else!

 

[creekgirl]

Thank you, red top rescue. Here is an update:

Following full dental extraction both cats had a remission of symptoms for a few weeks, then return of much of the same.

Bosco has resumed his strange "fits" at the food bowl, but maintains a healthy appetite and seems otherwise okay. Scout seemed worse off, continually opening and closing her jaw as if uncomfortable, only eating liquidated portion of slurried food and not much of that. She seemed lethargic and was losing weight.

Called the vet and they said to bring her back in. The vet said she was running a fever. Her lips were swollen, though not her jaw, gums or salivary glands. No infection where teeth had been removed. The vet gave her a steroid shot and said if it helps she could be put on a maintenance level dosage schedule of liquid or pill steroids. And if it works for her, maybe the same for Bosco.

It has only been a few days, but so far the shot seems to have helped Scout. She is more active, has more of an appetite again.

Even the vet is stumped as to what causes this condition. He suggested possible auto-immune system issue, but finds it strange that it is affecting BOTH cats.

I'll update further in hopes that it may help someone else!

PS.........I should add that red top rescue's link is very interesting. Check it out. Someone may be on to something there!

 

[creekgirl]

Thank you, red top rescue. Here is an update:

Following full dental extraction both cats had a remission of symptoms for a few weeks, then return of much of the same.

Bosco has resumed his strange "fits" at the food bowl, but maintains a healthy appetite and seems otherwise okay. Scout seemed worse off, continually opening and closing her jaw as if uncomfortable, only eating liquidated portion of slurried food and not much of that. She seemed lethargic and was losing weight.

Called the vet and they said to bring her back in. The vet said she was running a fever. Her lips were swollen, though not her jaw, gums or salivary glands. No infection where teeth had been removed. The vet gave her a steroid shot and said if it helps she could be put on a maintenance level dosage schedule of liquid or pill steroids. And if it works for her, maybe the same for Bosco.

It has only been a few days, but so far the shot seems to have helped Scout. She is more active, has more of an appetite again.

Even the vet is stumped as to what causes this condition. He suggested possible auto-immune system issue, but finds it strange that it is affecting BOTH cats.

I'll update further in hopes that it may help someone else!

 

[creekgirl]

I can't believe a whole year has gone by since I last posted. If anyone still reads this thread:

Bosco is now 17.5 years old and Scout is 15.5. Since their teeth were removed, Bosco had a brief return of his odd stomatitis symptoms but now seems completely recovered. Scout continues frequent yawning and drooling a viscous slime. The drool no longer stinks, though, so apparently no infection. I give them canned food watered down and mashed into a mush. Their appetites vary, sometimes they finish their bowls, sometimes not. Neither cat grooms themselves anymore. Both look terrible......skinny, old and unkempt.

Bosco is mostly sedentary, but he always was. Scout is still somewhat active, but not as active as she used to be. Because of pee/poop/drool, I can't let either cat roam the house.

During warm weather I could keep them outside during the day and bring them in the tiled and glassed-in sunroom at night. Now that it is getting cold I've been keeping them in the sunroom more and more, but since there is no heat out there I've kept the bathroom door open to the sunroom and put in a gate so heat can transfer. Scout can jump the gate and come in the bathroom if she likes, but I've had to put a plastic shield over the heating vent so she can't sit on it and release fur and drool down the vent. Bosco (who pees/poops on the bathroom floor by the toilet) is effectively kept out of the bathroom because he can't jump the gate.

I put a pet carrier in the sunroom, bought an electric throw and draped it over the top with a towel over that. Bosco likes to curl up in the pet carrier, and the electric throw should help keep him warm. Scout does not like to curl up with Bosco, but hopefully she will like the warmth of sitting on top. They mostly do not use the litter box in the sunroom. As soon as I clean poop off the floor, there's more to clean up. Both cats only use the litter box occasionally, though it is kept clean and I've tried different brands of cat litter.

I KNEW when it started to get cold and I had to keep the cats in 24/7 there would be problems. These cats were originally trained to go to the bathroom OUTSIDE, like dogs, which worked fine until a few years ago when they decided compliance was optional and started using the downstairs living room carpet as a latrine. When I blocked off the steps, they started peeing and pooping upstairs in corners on the carpet. There is STILL a particular splotch of poop stuck into carpet in the corner of my office so deeply sunk into the fibers it can't be scraped and I have no idea how to get it out.

I feel bad about keeping the cats in the sunroom, but at least the floor is tiled and easier to clean up. But the sunroom has become cold, stinky and disgusting, and with the door open to the bathroom, now my only full bath is cold, stinky and disgusting as well. It's horrible, and it grieves me to think I'll have to live like this all winter until the cats can spend their time outdoors again, where the whole world can be their litter box. I don't know what else I can do.

 

[Ardina]

Have you tried crate training to help them learn to use the litterbox? This TCS member had a lot of success with the method for her cat: About To Start Crate Training For My Extremely Litter Box Averse Cat. I'm sure she has good advice about how to go about it.

 

[creekgirl]

Have you tried crate training to help them learn to use the litterbox? This TCS member had a lot of success with the method for her cat: About To Start Crate Training For My Extremely Litter Box Averse Cat. I'm sure she has good advice about how to go about it.

Thank you, Ardina. I read it, but am still unclear on concept. Does the cat start out actually living in a dog crate with the bottom covered with kitty litter?

 

[Ardina]

Thank you, Ardina. I read it, but am still unclear on concept. Does the cat start out actually living in a dog crate with the bottom covered with kitty litter?

I think that's the idea (at least from looking at the guide she followed: http://www.ourcompanions.org/pdf/OC Crate Training for Your Cat.pdf). I've never used this method myself, but if you're interested in trying it, I would pm the member and see if she can answer your questions and point you to additional resources. Good luck!

 

[creekgirl]

I've often thought Bosco should live in a litter box. Never knew it might be a training technique. I will look into it.......thank you!

 

[Ardina]

I've often thought Bosco should live in a litter box. Never knew it might be a training technique. I will look into it.......thank you!

Hope it works out!

 

[IndyJones]

At their age inside is really safer for them since their reflexes are declining plus they can't defend themselves without teeth. Your cats are geriatric and deserve to be treated with dignity. I know it's hard but please don't get too upset with them. Like old people, old animals can experience mental decline and become lost easily or wander.

They also probably need palliative care such as sponge bath and brushing to keep their coats from becoming matted and dirty.