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Rodent Ulcer and Stomatitis in Cats

Rodent ulcer and stomatitis in cats is very crucial. Here are the causes, symptoms diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.

Rodent Ulcer

Rodent ulcers are open sores that are found primarily on the inside of the upper lip of cat. It is near to the canine tooth. They develop at times in other sites on tongue, mouth lips' roof or on skin of inner thigh or abdomen.

Symptoms

When rodent ulcer is early in the course, it is actually small and causes less concern to cat. By the time, the ulcer builds up eating becomes more uncomfortable. Cat may lose its appetite dribbles and paws at the mouth.

Cause

The real cause of rodent ulcers is not certain but generally believed that they are the result of irritation due to rough tongue of cat. The sore is generally of oval shape with a raised border or edge. The affected area gets eroded or becomes red and inflamed. It may bleed from time to time.

Treatment

The treatment is possible with drugs such as hormones or cortisone. In some of the advanced cases, the surgical removal can be contemplated though it may be straining. Treatment through X-ray, injections in and around the sores and cryosurgery are successful in the selected cases. Note here that treatment is not successful always and recurrences are common.

Stomatitis

Stomatitis, also called as Lymphocytic Plasmacytic Stomatitis or LPS is a grave and often misunderstood disease condition. It is considered as an autoimmune disease where the body gets allergic to plaque by the teeth. It is most often found in cats along with other autoimmune conditions, as FeLV or FIV.

Symptoms

The cat's behavior may change. The symptoms can be aggressiveness, irritability, depression, solitariness, excessive drooling, difficulty in eating, no eating at all. Eating or any other activity by the teeth can be painful. Some cats may have bad breath and may not be able to groom themselves enough. The cat's gums bleed easily.

Causes

There are many infectious causes of stomatitis. They include feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus. It is a good move to check your cat for such viruses when cat gets chronic stomatitis. But if you do not find any such symptoms present there, it is possible that there may be a catching cause of stomatitis. Keeping an affected cat with other unaffected cats may not be the cause to spread the disease.

Diagnosis

At the time of physical examination they may be required to be done under anesthesia to perform it well. Multiple lesions can be seen there. You may also see proliferative lesions or ulcers can be on gums, roof or back of mouth, lips or tongue.

Treatment

Removal of all plaque and keep it off, through-