78 DISEASES OF CATS 



Ulcerative Stomatitis 



As in other animals, defects and diseases of 

 the teeth are productive of not only local 

 troubles but of digestive, constitutional and 

 nervous phenomena as well. In the cat, how- 

 ever, constitutional symptoms are more severe, 

 loose, decayed or tartar coated teeth produc- 

 ing not only a septic condition in the mouth but 

 a condition of inanition that is persistent until 

 the exciting cause is removed. In old cats the 

 teeth quite frequently become thickly coated 

 with tartar, the gums become infected and 

 often necrotic and the condition known as sep- 

 tic mouth is produced. 



Symptoms. — Attention is drawn to the ani- 

 mal's illness by persistent anorexia, fetid 

 breath, or more correctly by the fetor oris, sali- 

 vation, and a general miserable appearance, 

 Upon examination of the mouth, the teeth are 

 found coated with tartar, the giims spongy, 

 ulcerated, and with necrotic patches. Particles 

 of decaying food may be found between the 

 cheeks and the teeth and one or m^ny of the 

 teeth may be loose. 



Treatment.- — All loose teeth should be re- 

 moved and the sound ones cleaned of tartar by 

 scaling. One loose tooth is sufficient both to 

 produce the condition and to maintain it and 

 the majority of cats will undergo voluntary 

 starvation rather than endure the pain of bit- 



