Is This Gingivitis?

ktea1993

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My cat is almost a year old, I only recently started to brush her teeth and keep up with it daily. She has no visible plaque, and the rest of her gums are fine. It’s just this one red line across the upper half of her teeth. I could have brushed too hard but I’m not sure, I know it probably requires a vet visit but I don’t have a car right now and would have to pay for a cab there and back plus the vet fee. Just looking for input. It’s longer than the picture shows but I couldn’t get her mouth open that wide :(
 

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Furballsmom

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Hi!
Hmmm, I'm not absolutely sure either way - is there a way (ie, will your vet allow it) that you could send the pictures in to your vet and ask?
 
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ktea1993

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Thanks for the fast replies guys. I can ask tomorrow when they open if they’ll accept some photos. I’m reading how common it is even in young cats to get gingivitis and I’m freaking out. It kinda looks like an abrasive wound or something which in that case would be my fault/I’m an asshole. :l I hadn’t been wetting her brush at all and it becomes pretty stiff after I clean it. I’m going to purchase some water additive and dental treats now.
 

kittyluv387

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This is what gingivitis looks like
It could also be a thin red line, not that thick.

OP keep brushing and see if it goes away. If it doesn’t I’d assume it could be gingivitis.
 
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ktea1993

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It could also be a thin red line, not that thick.

OP keep brushing and see if it goes away. If it doesn’t I’d assume it could be gingivitis.
Thank you! She absolutely hates having them brushed even when I give her treats afterwards. I want to do it again even though she had it done earlier because I’m paranoid but if it is an abrasion that could make it worse obviously. Blah.
 

kittyluv387

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Please continue with the brushing. Dental treats don’t work and I believe cats should have access to fresh pure water. I read a story on reddit about a person’s cat nearly dehydrating themselves to death because the cat didn’t like the water additive. We certainly don’t want them to drink less.
 

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Often when gingivitis happens in young kitties 5-7 months old it is because of early viruses or autoimmune issues.
 

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It doesnt look like first stage periodontal disease, but it does look inflammed via trauma. If you take her to the vet, I think they would probably just prescribe an antibiotic to prevent an infection and let it heal. What are you using to brush her teeth? Is she still eating normally? Does it bleed?
 

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I brush Louie’s teeth nightly with an enzymatic pet toothpaste and follow that with Healthy Mouth gel. Every morning I add Plaque Off to his food. Over the past 6 months his gingivitis has improved. The key is being very consistent with the dental care routine.
 
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ktea1993

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It doesnt look like first stage periodontal disease, but it does look inflammed via trauma. If you take her to the vet, I think they would probably just prescribe an antibiotic to prevent an infection and let it heal. What are you using to brush her teeth? Is she still eating normally? Does it bleed?
It does not bleed and she is eating fine. I’m hoping it is just an abrasion because I probably went alittle too hard on her gums. :( I’ll text the vet tomorrow.
 
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ktea1993

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Please continue with the brushing. Dental treats don’t work and I believe cats should have access to fresh pure water. I read a story on reddit about a person’s cat nearly dehydrating themselves to death because the cat didn’t like the water additive. We certainly don’t want them to drink less.
Yeah I’m going to do it everyday. I meant I’m adding the treats in with regular brushing and water additives granted she drinks it, she drinks a lot for a cat and I always make sure her water is clean.
 

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Honestly if it was my cat, id prob leave it for a couple days(avoid brushing that spot to prevent more irritation) and if it gets any worse go to the vet.

Feel free to do what you think is right- if the issue continues or more lesions appear id suggest changing the tooth brush (some options: a soft washcloth, q-tips, or a soft bristled human baby tooth brush
 
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ktea1993

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Honestly if it was my cat, id prob leave it for a couple days(avoid brushing that spot to prevent more irritation) and if it gets any worse go to the vet.

Feel free to do what you think is right- if the issue continues or more lesions appear id suggest changing the tooth brush (some options: a soft washcloth, q-tips, or a soft bristled human baby tooth brush
Thank you! I’m not going to touch it for now, I’m hoping it goes down within a few days.
 

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Yeah that looks like an injury or irritation, not gingivitis. Give it a few days, hopefully it goes away. :vibes:
 

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I agree with H Peters here, that with the red line there I would give brushing a miss for a few days. The red line suggests your cat's gums are inflamed and painful and the brushing will be very painful at this point.
Better using an enzyme tooth paste you can let your cat lick from your finger or smear on his lips to lick off them - that way bacteria in his mouth will still be reduced and plaque prevented from building up but it won't hurt him.
Then if the redness doesn't subside arrange a visit to the vet to see what they think.
The teeth can look fine above the gum but the roots starting to have problems with some cats and this is what my cat is prone to. He had red lines around his gums from around 6 months and had a dental routine from 9 months which helps to keep the inflammation mostly under control.
 
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ktea1993

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Yeah that looks like an injury or irritation, not gingivitis. Give it a few days, hopefully it goes away. :vibes:
Thank you, that’s what I’m thinking as well. I feel bad but hopefully that’s what it is and not gum disease.
 
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ktea1993

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I agree with H Peters here, that with the red line there I would give brushing a miss for a few days. The red line suggests your cat's gums are inflamed and painful and the brushing will be very painful at this point.
Better using an enzyme tooth paste you can let your cat lick from your finger or smear on his lips to lick off them - that way bacteria in his mouth will still be reduced and plaque prevented from building up but it won't hurt him.
Then if the redness doesn't subside arrange a visit to the vet to see what they think.
The teeth can look fine above the gum but the roots starting to have problems with some cats and this is what my cat is prone to. He had red lines around his gums from around 6 months and had a dental routine from 9 months which helps to keep the inflammation mostly under control.
Thank you for the info, it’s very helpful! I had no idea gingivitis could set in this soon and I was not being diligent about her oral care up until now. I had no idea you even had to brush their teeth but yeah duh that makes sense. It’s isolated to one side of her mouth on the upper part of her gums, it’s a relatively small area so I’m really hoping, despite the fact that it’s my fault and I feel horrible, that’s it’s abrasive and not gum disease. It seems so common despite people taking preventive measures, and I know of some cats who never lost any teeth or had gum disease as far as I know and they never had a cleaning or any type of oral care done. Guess it’s based on genetics and luck. Fingers crossed that it clears up and we can go about her routine as normal because a vet bill is going to be painful lol
 
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