Feline Gingivitis Symptoms and Treatments

Gingivitis is an inflammatory condition which can affect feline teeth and gums. The teeth will recede and the gums become red and swollen and may bleed. It is most commonly associated with infection from the feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency syndrome and to a lesser extent from calcivirus.

Occasionally cats develop a hypersensitivity to plaque bacteria. In cats who are fed a diet high in carbohydrates, plaque formation is increased as bacteria mix with the protein and carbohydrates and then harden into tartar and this may attach to the dental roots as well as to the crowns above the gumline.

Gingivitis may make eating very painful, and this may be the first sign you see that indicates that dental treatment is required or that he is sensitive to plaque bacteria. He will lose interest in eating and you may see him drooling if the condition is widespread in his mouth and his normal mouth movement is restricted. He will also develop halitosis because of the bacteria accumulating in the plaque and deep in the pockets that are developing in the gum line.

Treatment of gingivitis will be in the form of intensive cleaning especially if the plaque has taken hold below the gum line, and in most cases veterinary surgeons will do the cleaning under anaesthetic as it will be very painful.

Ultrasonic scaling may be required to remove tartar; only a small proportion of the tooth shows above the gumline, and tartar adhering to the roots deep down in the socket will require intensive cleaning so as to reduce the possibility of further infection building up in the gum pocket or reaching the blood stream and setting up infection elsewhere.

In a cat who has developed hypersensitivity to plaque bacteria a veterinary surgeon will usually try him on a dry diet such as Hill's Dental to see if the low carbohydrate solves the problem. If this is not effective then steroids may be used to reduce the reaction. In extreme cases it may be necessary to remove some teeth altogether so that there is nothing for the plaque bacteria to adhere to.

As a final note, vets would advocate that you acclimatise your cat to a toothbrush and a tooth cleaning routine at an early age so that he can get used to the sense and touch of having his teeth cleaned and so that you can lessen the risk of him contracting feline dental disease.

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