Question:
I took my cats into the vet yesterday for what I thought was earmites,
but turned out to be a food allergy. That's all taken care of now.
While I was there, the vet pointed out that my younger cat has very
bad gingivitis. This cat is approximately 2 years old, and the vet
says that the gingivitis is something that she was born with, and that
there is nothing that can be done about it except to possibly pull the
teeth later if she starts having trouble eating. (Teeth cleaning
won't help.. her teeth are gleaming, with out a speck of tartar on
them.) She said that there wasn't a whole lot of information on what
causes this condition, and that right now it is not something that can
be treated. Does anyone have any references on this subject and
research going on in the subject? I am used to thinking of gingivitis
as a result of bad tooth care, not as something on its own.
Answer:
Im not a Vet, but I got cats. The only gingivitis that is not caused by
tooth decay is eosinophilic granuloma which occurs on the gums behind
the last molars. you can treat by brushing the cats teeth once a day
with hydrogen peroxide solution and massage gums with cotton swab dipped
in peroxide. That aside, I think you need to get another opinion. See
a Vet that specializes in teeth and gums, a tarter build up below the
gum line will cause gingivitis and the part of the teeth you see may
look shiny white.
She has a clean bill of health except for the gingivitis. The vet
said that there is some feeling among orthodontists that this is an
auto-immune response, and that problems with tartar would be, in this
case, a result of the gingivitis, and not the cause. She had it when
I first took her in at 3 months old, so I can't see it being a result
of tartar buildup at that age without it being apparent on the teeth.
I will do a search on the above terms and see what they say. Right
now I am trying to find information on what I am dealing with.
I meant dentists (or actually.. whatever branch of medicine
specializes in dental health. The name escapes me now.)
What about treating the cat with CHX gel as a preventative? And good dental
hygiene? I'd brush those teeth and use CHX gel as much as I could....
