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Home Forums Cats Gingival hyperplasia

Gingival hyperplasia

Published on: April 30, 2024 • By: CeeCee · In Forum: Cats
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CeeCee
Participant
April 30, 2024 at 05:21pm
Dear vets, I adopted two kittens (not related), and both have been having ongoing issues with their gums (inflammation). They have both had dental cleanings and it is not improving. My girl had surgery for gingival hyperplasia in January (dark gums)- is it returning? I have started brushing their teeth, add an additive to their water, give them dental food (one refuses to eat it). I don’t know what else to do… I can’t keep spending thousands of dollars with no cure or end in sight.. doctors aren’t sure of the cause.. they have been tested for felv/fiv and it was negative. Is there anything else I can try? Photos attached for easy reference. Thank you! 🩷
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Liz Buchanan BVSc MRCVS
Keymaster
May 03, 2024 at 08:03am
Hello - I am going to nail my colours to the mast here,  I am not a specialist dentist.  There is a difference between hyperplasia of the gum and gingivitis.  In the first, the gum grows excessively up over the normal line - or horizon, if you like - of the gums.  Interestingly the overgrown gum doesnt stick to, or form the tiny links with, the tooth above the surface of the normal gumline, making a pocket between the tooth and the gum that becomes very prone to problems. In gingivitis, normal becomes inflamed and changes colour, such as can happen eg around infected teeth, or in cats that have encountered certain viruses - or even normal baby teeth when erupt or fall out.   I cannot see what is happening in your kitten's mouth out of context, especially not without a probe.  I dont even know how old she is, so an in person vet needs to make this assessment in context.  There is a link between the two in that gum inflammation caused by pathology, can lead to secondary  gingival overgrowth over a long time, which is one good eeason for discussing denal health regularly.  I have never treated hyperplasia by cutting gum away and would be more interested in working out the cause if I were to see. We would advocate talking to your vet and / or a second- opinion dentist and asking explicitly anything you don't understand.
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Liz Buchanan BVSc MRCVS
Keymaster
May 03, 2024 at 08:13am
Sorry!  Typo.  Missing word:   ..... gum away and might be more interested in looking for the cause of any hyperplasia and trying to reduce its occurrence.....
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