Cats lose their appetite, eat less and lose weight. Seeing this makes cat owners feel sad. They've changed the food to suit their preferences, changed the bowl, but no matter what they do, the cat still won't eat. The problem might not be that the food doesn't suit the cat, but rather that something is wrong with the cat's mouth. Any cat owners who are facing this problem should try to observe whether their cat has "oral inflammation."
Oral thrush It is a common disease in cats of all ages and genders. When cats are sick, they will experience pain in their mouths and cause them to eat less, leading to weight loss. These small problems in the mouth can cause other health problems in cats, which can lead to chronic illnesses. To prevent everyone from ignoring this problem, we will take you to learn more about oral inflammation in cats.
Oral thrush It is a general term that refers to inflammation of all oral tissues. This disease can be localized or generalized to the entire mouth. There are many causes of this disease, including tartar buildup, periodontal disease, kidney disease, and viral infections such as feline influenza, feline leukemia, and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).
This disease is more common in older cats than in younger cats. In younger cats, it may occur during the eruption of permanent teeth or after vaccinations.
Symptoms of oral thrush in cats
Signs that your cat may have oral thrush include decreased appetite, weight loss, bad breath, pain when eating hard food or dropping food from the mouth while eating, scratching at the mouth with the legs, drooling (which may contain blood or pus), red, swollen gums, and ulcers on the gums, tongue, or cheeks.
When owners notice that their cat has the above symptoms, they should take their cat to see a veterinarian early for immediate treatment. If left untreated until the cat is unable to eat, loses weight, or is in a deteriorating physical condition, treatment will be difficult and limited in the ability to administer anesthesia for a detailed oral examination or to perform tartar removal.
Treatment of oral thrush in cats
Treatment should be administered by a veterinarian. It usually begins with a thorough oral examination, including a physical examination and blood tests to identify potential factors or infections that may be causing the oral inflammation. If the cat's physical condition and blood test results are sufficient for anesthesia, the veterinarian will recommend scaling and/or extracting the affected teeth first to reduce the buildup of bacteria in the mouth. Treatment with antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications may then be given as appropriate.
Even if you bring your cat to the vet for treatment, owners must also take care of their cat's mouth. You may use saline solution to rinse or clean the inside of the mouth and between the teeth regularly to prevent infection. If you want your cat to eat more during this time, you may try changing to soft food to make it easier for your cat to eat. And don't forget to take your cat to your veterinarian for regular appointments.
Oral thrush is a common disease and is very important to a cat's overall health. Therefore, owners should take care of their cat's oral health regularly and should take their cat to the veterinarian for oral examinations and tartar removal at least every 6 months or 1 year.
Taking care of your cat's oral health isn't difficult. Just pay attention and keep an eye on your cat's mouth for any abnormalities. If you notice any abnormalities, get them treated immediately. Don't let it go on for too long, as this can lead to chronic problems, causing your cat to lose its appetite and lose weight. Otherwise, other health problems will surely follow.
Read other articles Common skin diseases found in kittens
References
My Pets Dentist. Feline Stomatitis. http://www.mypetsdentist.com/feline-stomatitis.pml
Frontline. Chronic oral gingivitis in cats (Feline Chronic Gingivostomatitis). https://www.naewna.com/lady/columnist/47735
English