Lynne
Houston, TX

Based upon your description several things could be going on.

Your cat may be suffering from stomatitis. Stomatitis is a painful condition in which the immune system attacks the teeth. This causes inflammation of the gums and in some cases the tongue. Cortisone shots sometimes reduce the inflammation associated with stomatitis. However, the benefit usually is temporary. Extraction of multiple teeth generally offers the best hope of a permanent cure for stomatitis.

Severe dental disease also can cause symptoms similar to stomatitis. Unlike stomatitis, dental disease does not involve an improperly functioning immune system. Professional dental work at your veterinarian’s office should eliminate oral lesions caused by dental disease.

Eosinophilic granulomas, also known as rodent ulcers, are common causes of ulcers and sores in the mouth. Rodent ulcers occur when an overactive immune system attacks the lips, gums, or tongue. Cortisone is the most commonly used treatment for rodent ulcers. I also recommend that cats with rodent ulcers receive consistent flea preventatives. Flea bites can stimulate the immune system and may exacerbate rodent ulcers.

Certain viral or bacterial infections may cause sores or masses to develop on the tongue or mouth. Calicivirus, feline leukemia virus (FeLV), and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are the most common.

Unfortunately, tumors can develop on the tongue. Squamous cell carcinoma is an aggressive cancer that sometimes develops in the area.

If your cat’s condition does not improve significantly after the cortisone injection or if the lesions return when the cortisone wears off I recommend that your cat’s mouth be evaluated under anesthesia. At that time dental work can be performed if it is indicated. A biopsy of the affected area also is very likely to yield insight into the problem.

Meanwhile, watch your cat’s appetite and feed him soft food if necessary.

Photo: Alistair Growley’s tongue looks fine.

Carol
Albany, IN

Severe, recurrent, refractory gingivitis in cats can progress to a syndrome called stomatitis. In feline stomatitis the mouth becomes severely inflamed (irritated). Feline AIDS and feline leukemia virus may trigger stomatitis, but most cases occur for unknown reasons.

Cats with stomatitis have immune systems that reject their own teeth. For this reason, extracting multiple teeth may cause the inflammation to go away. In my experience, this sort of procedure is effective about 85% of the time.

Some mild cases of stomatitis can be managed with medicines that modulate the immune system. Prednisone and cyclosporine are the most commonly used. Prednisone, in particular, may cause unpleasant side effects.

Although extracting multiple teeth sounds extreme, remember that if the gums around the teeth are severely inflamed the teeth are painful and aren’t being used. In my patients, one complication of multiple tooth extraction procedures is weight gain. After the painful teeth are removed, some cats begin to over eat!

You can read much more about stomatitis here:

http://drbarchas.com/stomatitis

And you can read about milder gingivitis and dental disease here:

http://drbarchas.com/dental_disease

About the photo: Sylvester is showing off his dental arcades. There is no sign of stomatitis!