The vet has just told me today that little Lulu has either got to have all her teeth out (apart from the front fangs) or she has to go on Metacam for three or four years and then have them out because of an autoimmune reaction in her gums. I feel quite upset about both prospects. She's only about two years old. Would it be better just to have them removed now and get it over with?

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Thanks for the advice. The vet says he's not too happy taking out such a young cat's teeth, especially when they're so strong and it's the gums that are the problem, but I feel worried about the Metacam. My mum's elderly cat has been on Metacam for a year or so and has very nearly died of liver trouble in the past month or two. Ever since I got Lulu at about a year old she's been unable to chew, she's swallowed saliva constantly since day one but the vets kept telling me there was nothing wrong with her mouth, until they suddenly said it was severe stomatitis/gingivitis. So as she doesn't chew, she just swallows hard food and hoovers up Gourmet Perle sachets (food that comes in little slivers) I think that I might as well get it over with for both our sakes. It's not as if she's going to miss chomping on her grub because she's never been able to do that. It's still very sad though, when she's so young. She's had FIV and FeLV tests today so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the results are negative.

Poor Lulu hope all her test results are ok, they do manage ok with just the fangs we have two gummys here although alot older you just have to mash up the food a bit, they struggle with dry food but seem to be manageing ok with kitten dry food at the mo must just be more tasty or its because its teeneytiny

Thanks. I was hoping the vet would ring tonight but it's getting a bit late so it may be tomorrow. The slightly worrying thing about extraction is that he said it only works for 80% of cases, not all, but I guess I just have to hope for the best. I've recently bought Applaws dry food, because I've read it's good, and that's tiny bits too.

Maybe there is something you can get that will help her gums heal quicker I dont know but it might be worth looking into

Do you mean after surgery? I asked the vet if there was any chance of curing her problem by diet but he was adamant there wasn't. I tried her on chicken wings a while ago but there was no way she could manage anything like that, not being able to chew at all.

Sorry yes after surgery These two just swallow food thats why I mush it up more, any dry stuff they get is pinched off Scutter (he is on urinary food) & they just bring it straight back up the same way it went down but the kitten food seems to be ok for them, but they dont need it to help their teeth

Have you looked at Dr Addie's site about gingivitis/stomatitis?
Feline chronic lymphocytic plasmacytic gingivostomatitis

Thanks for this. It's interesting and also confusing because it implies that diet can help control stomatitis after all. I've just recently bought Applaws and funnily enough I feed my other two cats Classic but not Lulu because she's not been able to chew normal catfood. Maybe I should try mashing it up for her.