Question:
My ten year old female tortie has been diagnosed with feline
gingivitis-stomatitis. She's had it now for about a year and we've
fought to keep it at bay. At first, the steroids and antibiotics did
little to help. Someone on-line suggested another medicine, metrodozle
(spelling is incorrect, don't have bottle with me.) and it is the only
thing that helps. We've gotten it mixed with fish oils and squirt it
down her throat twice a day. She hates it and it makes her sick after
awhile. She'll tolerate it for a couple of weeks then she'll run and
hide.
The vets we've taken her to have suggested pulling her teeth but said
it is no guarantee that it will cure her. Another suggested putting
her to sleep but that is WAY out of the question. Other than her sore
mouth, she's fine.
The affected area is mostly behind her teeth on the soft part of the
back of her mouth. It seems to spread to her gums from there.
Is there anything else I can do, something I haven't tried yet?
Answer:
First, I would biopsy the lesion and see exactly what you are dealing
with. from there treatment recommendatoins can be made.
Control of this problem is often through immunosupression and there are
some newer ways to do this without compromising the cat's health to as
great a degree as in the past. If this problem responds to metronidazole
(?) then there is likely an infectious component
The last vet did do a biopsy but said she found nothing 'unusual.' She
also cleaned her teeth and tested for FIV. My cat is strictly indoor
and has had her shots. The metonidazole is what works best. We were
giving her injections of anitbiotics and steriods before and it didn't
appear to do much. What would an 'infectious component' suggest?
