References
Feline oral inflammation: diagnosis and options for treatment
Abstract
Oral disease in feline patients can be challenging to diagnose and, at times, difficult to treat in general practice. Many causes lead to similar presentations involving inflammation of the gingiva and mucosa (swelling, redness and ulceration). It is important that a diagnosis be reached to establish appropriate treatment. Cats often hide oral pain and discomfort until a disease is quite advanced, so early signs that may help in determining the cause may not persist until the time of presentation. Location, life stage of the patient, severity, duration and lesion type are crucial in identifying the underlying origin of the inflammatory response. Biopsies may be needed to further classify the cause, and these can be performed in a general practice setting to determine if specialist referral is necessary. This article provides some tools to help practitioners reach an accurate diagnosis to manage treatment, prognosis and guide owner expectations.
Examination of the oral cavity may prove difficult in an awake patient. The patient may be anxious or frightened during veterinary visits potentially leading to aggression (Rodan et al, 2011). Determining if a cat has oral inflammation or oral pain may require a brief glance into the oral cavity or taking a history from the owner. Given those challenges, the veterinarian may determine that the soft tissues of the mouth are erythemic without knowing the reason or severity. This may lead to misdiagnosis of the issues and resulting improper treatment.
The feline mouth can be affected by many disorders that all lead to inflammation of the oral gingiva and mucosa. The inflammation can be further characterised by its duration, recurrence, location and appearance (Lommer, 2013). Additionally, understanding the aetiologies that effect certain life stages of cats and those with concurrent disease can lead the practitioner in the appropriate direction. Knowing the underlying cause is necessary for treatment; this article will discuss some of the more common feline inflammatory aetiologies, their diagnosis and treatment options.
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