The importance of food in the treatment of feline chronic gingivostomatitis

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FGS) is an extremely painful condition for the cat and a distressing condition for the cat's guardian. The lining of the mouth -- especially at the back (the area sometimes called the fauces, but more correctly called the palatoglossal folds) -- becomes inflamed and red and may even bleed. Often the cat may have perfectly normal teeth, or have already had the teeth removed in an attempt to cure the gingivitis and stomatitis. There are many causes of the condition, which are not gone into on this video, and there have been many attempts to cure gingivostomatitis, which again are not gone into on the video -- such information can be found at www.catvirus.com.

The purpose of this video is to present the role of food in FGS -- how certain dry foods may be causing FGS, or exacerbating it, how delicious foods like Applaws and Almo Nature can be used to tempt cats with even very painful mouths to eat and how eating foods that are as natural as possible, like Wild Kitty Cat Food, have helped some cats to recover. The author has no vested interest in any of these products, but simply wishes to share with others products that she has found to help. Food alone will not cure FGS -- veterinary advice should be always be sought, in particular, I strongly recommend a consultation with a specialist veterinary dentist (a list can be found on catvirus.com or the British Veterinary Dentist Association www.bvda.co.uk).

The catvirus.com website and You Tube channel are mainly aimed at postgraduate veterinarians and undergraduate veterinary students, to supply information which is difficult to source elsewhere and to enable free online continuing professional development. However, this particular video is also suitable for all cat lovers.

This film counts as 13 minutes continuing professional development (CPD) for veterinary surgeons.


Dr Diane D. Addie is a veterinary virologist with two dreams: to eradicate feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) from the face of the earth, and to find a cure for feline chronic gingivostomatitis. You can read more about her work and these cat diseases on her website -- www.catvirus.com -- or in her ebook "My Cat Has Chronic Gingivostomatitis -- What Now?"

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• gingivitis
• stomatitis cat
• diet
• food
• FGS
• treatment

[Tatooinedragracer]

The starch in dry foods clings to the teeth providing a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to plaque, bad breath, gingivitis, rotten teeth, and FGS. Raw diets prevent this. 

[DrDianeDAddie]

@Tatooinedragracer Thank you for what you wrote - lots of good information there. In my video, you'll have noticed that Tommy recovered on a raw food diet. Keeping the diet as natural as possible is the way to go. Unfortunately some of my cats won't look at raw food (the cats who own me are rescues and so usually adults when I get them, and a little set in their ways). The other product which is un-natural is supermarket milk: I give cats either no milk, or direct from a free range farm.

[ytsputnik]

Sorry, I can't help you there, I'm on a Mac.

Are you familiar with Vetri-Science Oli-Vet? This is the only thing I've found that controls my cats' gingivostomatitis, to some degree. Maxi Guard oral cleansing gel also seems to help a bit.

[DrDianeDAddie]

@ytsputnik Thank you for sharing that. I'm unfamiliar with Vetri-Science Oli-Vet, I'll look into it. D. Addie

[ytsputnik]

This video would be more helpful if the volume level didn't fluctuate so. Parts of it are simply inaudible.

[DrDianeDAddie]

@ytsputnik You are absolutely right. I'm afraid I'm not very good at making videos. Any suggestions on how to obtain more even volume levels?  I bought a new microphone, but it was only slightly better. I use Windows Movie Maker.

[Bleuncjais]

I had a Cornish Rex who suffered from this terrible disease for a few years. Nothing we tried worked, not even cortisone. She was positive for calicivirus. But under the last 6 months she started to get a very runny nose, antibiotics did cure it, but it did always return after a few weeks. And the poor thing didnt feel to well so I hade to let her go. Miss her so much! Keep up the good work Dr Addie, I hope u find a cure! But seeing this movie makes me wish that I had tried changing her food.

[PositiveCattitudes]

I also added a potent herbal anti-inflammatory for my stomatitis cat Daphne. The product is zyflamend easy swallow soft gels by New Chapter. That plus the wet food has completely 'fixed' her for over a year now. So sad how many cats have had their teeth pulled out when they really didn't need to.

[kitysaver]

Please see Tips for Transitioning Dry Food Addicts to Canned Food and Urinary Tract Health at catinfo.org.

ALL cats can be transitioned to canned food (or homemade) if the cat guardian is patient enough and willing to do the work necessary to ensure a safe transition from dry food.

3 key issues with feeding obligate carnivores (cats):

1) protein needs to come from animals not plants

2) appropriate water content (canned ~75%, dry only 5-10%)

3) low in carbs

Dr. Pierson

catinfo.org

[kitysaver]

Thank you for posting this video. I, too, am a veterinarian who is extremely saddened by the suffering that this awful disease causes and am grateful to you for your work in this area.

However, I do not support the feeding of DRY food to *any* cat given the havoc that it wreaks on the urinary tract system of the cat because of its water-depletion. I do not believe in feeding this highly species-INapprorpiate diet to ANY cat given their low thirst drive.

Please see catinfo.org

Dr. Pierson

[ytsputnik]

Re: Oli-Vet,

I do think that Oli-Vet helps somewhat, but I've had to put mine back on Antirobe in order to get this stubborn disease under control.

[Tatooinedragracer]

Only when chicken is COOKED do the bones become brittle and they splinter and are dangerous. COOKED bones unsafe. RAW bones are safe. Carnivores are not designed eat ANYTHING cooked. That makes perfect, obvious sense because you never see a Nature program or read in a book about lions barbecuing a zebra or about a bobcat roasting a quail over an open fire before eating it. When animals are fed things they would never eat in the wild is when they have FGS,.etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

[Tatooinedragracer]

Chickens are slaughtered when they are young. Young chickens have soft bones, and they are also hollow. The cat eats not the entire bone, but the cartilage on the end and some of the bone on the tip. Cats have hydrochloric acid in their stomachs that digest bone. I've fed chicken wings to my cats for 14 years and I know of many people who do the same. RAW chicken bones are safe to feed to cats and dogs.