Cat with sore, inflamed gums - running out of ideas to treat

poorlittlefish

I have a cat who adopted me (by turning up in my garden in a terrible state) almost two years ago. When I took him to the vet to get sorted out he had very inflamed gums and an ulcerated tongue, so he was given a steroid injection, antibiotics (I can't remember the name now) and Metacam/Loxicom. No real change.

Since that first time he's been back to the vet more times than I care to remember as the problem just refuses to go away. He's had steroid injections several times which perk him up for a couple of days but that's it. He had the same antibiotics combined with steroid tablets (Prednidale). No change. He was booked in for a bit of a scale and polish (despite the other vet telling me his teeth were in good condition). No change. He was on Antirobe for a few months and seemed to improve to a degree, but if he started drooling then I'd "top up" with the steroid tablets for a couple of days and the drooling would stop. Unfortunately, this also seemed to stop having an effect.

I did some some research online and was surprised that the vet hadn't already suggested removing his teeth, so I suggested it myself and the vet agreed. However, all they did was remove the teeth around the worst affected areas, so he still has most of them. Since the operation he now seems to be even worse because he's having even more difficulty getting food into his mouth and getting it down him (more food goes on the floor than in his mouth). He keeps licking the food rather than eating it, but turns his nose up if I make it into a puree.

The vet suggested different antibiotics, so put him on Metronidazole tablets, which he absolutely would not touch, no matter how I tried to disguise them (his mouth is too sore to give by hand and he has bitten those who've tried!). He was swapped to the liquid version and has been on it for about 10 days but again, it's having no effect. Furthermore, he's eating far less since he had the operation to remove a few teeth and turns his nose up at almost everything - even the natural brands of cat food.

I have spent literally thousands of pounds on this issue but I think the vet has either run out of ideas or is treating me like a cash cow. I love my cat to bits but for his sake and the sake of my bank balance, I need something that will actually reduce the inflammation/soreness and keep it under control! Any ideas would be VERY welcome - thanks!

sophieschoice

One of mine has the same problem, vet diagnosed (after tests) corona virus. It affects her mouth so we use Loxicom periodically. It's just flared up again so Vet on Monday for another prescription.

moggymutt

I would have swabs/biopsy to see if you can get an accurate diagnosis.

poorlittlefish

That's something else they did when they had him in the first time, plus he was tested for feline AIDS (FIV?) and leukaemia, both of which came back negative. Kidney function is OK too. Funnily enough, I don't remember them ever really saying what was found in the biopsy, so maybe I'll have to check on that.

moggymutt

Glad to hear it's not FIV, because that would be making it very hard to shift.

whodathunkit

I'd take him to another vet.

poorlittlefish

The nearest vet is 20 minutes from me, the next is double that and my cat detests being in the car but I might have to go down that route (literally).

thehappybutterfly

Does puss have bad breath too? My poor boy had horrendous breath and it was his teeth. Thankfully a scale and polish and some antibiotics sorted everything out.

I'm a +1 for a different vet.

poorlittlefish

No, his breath is fine (thankfully!). He had a scale and polish this time last year but his teeth were already OK.

whodathunkit

My cat had this last year http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cats-and-stomatitis
and after a couple of rounds of steroids he had all his teeth extracted (except his front "fangs") and he's so much happier.

If this is what your cat has then your vet has been very lax in not taking all his teeth (and roots) out. Of course, it could be something else but I really think you need a second opinion.

poorlittlefish

Yes, the vet claimed they'd need to extract the teeth in stages because there can be difficulty removing the roots. At over £200 a time, no wonder they'd say that! Everyone else whose cat had their teeth out had them all done in one go, so it does make me wonder. What I don't really understand, though, is why removing the teeth stops the gums getting inflamed. Did your vet explain the "science bit"?