Transfer Factor & Stomatitis

mservant

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I haven't tried it, and would not want to experiment with this type of treatment without a full discussion with my vet given the range of views on Transfer Factor that are around, particularly if you are referring to use as a nutritional supplement.  I think there are other treatments being explored which offer promise for cats who do not respond to more regular, initial interventions such as those my boy was lucky to benefit from.  I have attached one fairly recent article that looks at this from a veterinarian perspective here:

 http://www.dentalvets.co.uk/docs/FCGS-VPJuly12 NJarticle.pdf
 

carolina

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I have. TF is amazing, and yes, it is safe - I would not give the "Feline" version though - I gave the Human version - the brand is the same, I used the Transfer Factor "Plus".

I used it on Bugsy before starting his treatment for stomatitis - it helped, but it didn't make THAT MUCH difference.
What really made a difference for his stomatitis (besides his treatment) was putting him on a raw diet - it took him from a full on stomatitis to what is considered today to be "gingivitis". Is he "cured"? Nope - but his condition is under control, and he is doing well - his gums, although a liiiiiitle inflamed, are not inflamed enough to cause discomfort/pain. I get him checked quite often to make sure things are alright, as you are probably aware, stomatitis is very painful.

Here is the thing: The causes for Stomatitis are not completely understood. What might be the trigger for Bugsy (something in his food was causing inflammation), might not be the case for your little one.

Do I think Transfer Factor will help? Yes. Do I think it will cure? No. Do I think it is worth a shot? Yes - you will only know if you try - The beauty of TF is that it is an immune-modulator.
DO discuss it with your vet First - Not because it is not safe, but because I do believe for the success of ANY treatment your vet has to be informed of any and everything you give to your pet.

For example: The drug Bugsy was put on for his Stomatitis treatment, also contained an immune-modulator, therefore I had to stop transfer factor. Had I not told his dentist, I would not had found out, and might be compromising his treatment :nod:

By the way - I have not used any other brands - the only brand I trust is 4Life. I used both on Bugsy and for myself - for me, as a road warrior, it kept me from getting sick whenever I was taking it - Personally, I swear by it... For Stomatitis...... Remember, you can manage, but you can't cure it - this might be a small part of it, but IMHO it is not a miracle....
 
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b-roc

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. Had I not told his dentist,,,,
Carolina, first off, thanks for detailed response.  I’m trying to decide if I should go to a dental vet specialist or stick with my regular vet.  I have appts scheduled with both.  Regular vet wants to do a biopsy.  Dental specialist says they may be able to diagnosis it just by looking at it (still trying to determine if it is stomatitis or not).  Did you have a biopsy and do you think it is better to work with a dental specialist or do you just go there as opposed to a regular vet for convenience?  Sparkle has was lethargic for 10 days with periods of gagging.  She is / was on antibiotics, prednisone and buprenex.  Today, about 2 hours after she woke up, it was like a light was switched and she’s mostly back to her regular playful self.  We’ll see what tomorrow brings.  There is still a red patch on the roof of her mouth and what appears to be a lymph node is swollen.

Did you ever get a biopsy?  

FWIW, she is on a raw food diet already and has been since May as she developed food allergies last January and it took us 5 months to find foods she would eat and was not allergic to.
 

carolina

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Carolina, first off, thanks for detailed response.  I’m trying to decide if I should go to a dental vet specialist or stick with my regular vet.  I have appts scheduled with both.  Regular vet wants to do a biopsy.  Dental specialist says they may be able to diagnosis it just by looking at it (still trying to determine if it is stomatitis or not).  Did you have a biopsy and do you think it is better to work with a dental specialist or do you just go there as opposed to a regular vet for convenience?  Sparkle has was lethargic for 10 days with periods of gagging.  She is / was on antibiotics, prednisone and buprenex.  Today, about 2 hours after she woke up, it was like a light was switched and she’s mostly back to her regular playful self.  We’ll see what tomorrow brings.  There is still a red patch on the roof of her mouth and what appears to be a lymph node is swollen.

 



Did you ever get a biopsy? 



 



FWIW, she is on a raw food diet already and has been since May as she developed food allergies last January and it took us 5 months to find foods she would eat and was not allergic to.
I went to a dentist who was a specialist in stomatitis. No biopsy was done or necessary. I choose to take them to the dentist for the same reason I go to the dentist - they specialize in different things; if you have the choice/opportunity to go to a dentist, that's definitely what I would recommend, especially when dealing with stomatitis.
 
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mservant

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The advice you are getting from Carolina is great, very interesting information.  I agree about different things for different cats, and as there can be so many causes for the inflammation that makes sense.  For Mouse it seems to have been related to his FHV, for your girl it sounds like she has more allergies.  I'm more reserved about the raw diet because of Mouse's general history but it looks like that has made a huge difference for many members here.

My vet practice has vets with a range of specialties and it is definitely advisable to use them if you can.  No biopsies done for Mouse, when I've seen the right specialists for my cats they have always been able to diagnose with the minimum of tests, including the stomatitis and later his FHV.  Seeing a dental specialist should be your best chance of a good opinion on whether the teeth are healthy beneath the gum too.

Hope all goes well.
 
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