Our cat, Benji, has bad breath. It’s been really bad for many
months. Now he’s been diagnosed with a disease that makes him
allergic to his teeth. Or at least that’s what his vet tells me.
How does that happen? What do we do?
Q: Our cat, Benji, has bad breath. It’s been really bad for many months. Now he’s been diagnosed with a disease that makes him allergic to his teeth. Or at least that’s what his vet tells me. How does that happen? What do we do? The vet wants to run some tests and even put him under anesthesia to examine him more.
A:
Halitosis can be caused by several different conditions in kitty cats. Almost anything that causes inflammation in the mouth (called stomatitis) will change the normal microflora of the mouth and cause an odor. The most common is simple dental disease, where there’s a buildup of plaque or tartar on the surface of the teeth. A dental cleaning clears this easily.
Injuries to the mouth (a broken tooth is one example), oral tumors and other less frequent problems sometimes result in that awful smell that makes it difficult to snuggle. One of these conditions is called lymphoplasmacytic stomatitis. This is an immune disease causing chronic inflammation of the gums; an antibody response causes the gums to swell and become reddened. We believe it can be caused several different ways, including as a result of a viral infection. It’s usually diagnosed with a biopsy of the gum tissue (done while the patient is anesthetized), but only after antibiotic therapy has not successfully cleared the problem. A blood panel is also run to look for any other potential medical problems that might cause the chronic inflammation. Many cats with this condition are otherwise very healthy.
Cats with lymphoplasmacytic stomatitis are given prednisolone or other immunosuppressive medication. But in many cases, the only way to eliminate the disease is to extract the premolar and molar teeth (the teeth in the back of the mouth). Tooth extraction sounds radical to most people, but it usually works. And afterwards, the mouth heals beautifully and the breath returns to normal.
Many vets have handouts, reading material that explains different medical conditions. Ask Benji’s veterinarian for more information about this disease. And keep asking all of your questions so that you can be informed throughout Benji’s treatment.
Q:
Our 4-year-old schauzer, Franky, had a bloody nose three times in the past month. We took him to the vet the last time, and they tranquilized him to look in his nose. They didn’t find anything, but told us he should go to a specialist to be examined with a special scope. Sounds like a lot of money and we’re not sure why he should have this done. Any suggestions?
A:
There are several different conditions that can cause nasal bleeding (a condition called epistaxis). Foreign bodies (like foxtails) and polyps or tumors are on the top of the list. If Franky has any of these up his nose, the specialist can find it with a scope.
Other serious medical problems can also cause spontaneous nasal bleeding. I wonder if Franky’s veterinarian ran any blood tests to test for a blood clotting deficiency (called a coagulopathy). Nosebleeds can be the first symptom of a coagulopathy that needs important medical treatment.
Be sure to tell the vet if Franky has access to any pesticides because they can be a serious problem. Anticoagulants are the active ingredient in mouse or rat baits like D-Con. These products look and taste good to dogs, and they cause spontaneous hemorrhage. In larger doses, they can be fatal.
But there are also immune disorders and even some genetic conditions that can cause clotting problems. One of these is called von Willebrand disease and a simple blood test should be run to screen for this hereditary trait. Ask his vet to run a coagulation profile, a blood test to check for a clotting disorder. This test should be run before any other exams are scheduled.
I’m concerned about your little Franky. Nosebleeds are not common. Untreated, they can be life-threatening. This is a problem that needs immediate medical attention.
