What causes gingivitis and stomatitis in cats?
There are probably a number of causes of this chronic inflammation in the mouth and gums. It may actually be due to a combination of factors. The three factors which are receiving the most attention are: Hyperresponsiveness: It is felt that some cats may have a hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to bacterial plaque and are called ‘plaque-intolerant.’ This results in a disease called lymphocytic-plasmacytic gingivitis stomatitis (LPGS), which affects the entire mouth. In this disease, certain cells involved in the immune system called lymphocytes and plasma cells move into the tissues of the mouth and we see severe inflammation where the tooth meets the gumline. It is this disease which we will focus on in this article. Another possible cause is an allergy to something else such as food or fleas, which may manifest itself as skin and oral lesions called feline eosinophilic granuloma. Immunosuppression: A cat’s immune response may be suppressed for a number of reasons but the most com
