My kitten has a lip ulcer. Is it a rodent ulcer and how long to heal?

This appears to be what is commonly referred to as a 'rodent ulcer'. The most common cause for these to pop up in cats is an allergy, typically to something in the food. Sometimes these will resolve in their own, however sometimes they can become infected, long lasting, and problematic. If they become very large and painful it can discourage the cat from wanting to eat. If this ulcer has been present for more than 2 weeks it is probably not going to go away on its own. At that time I would recommend taking you cat to the vet for treatment. Nathaniel may need antibiotics and an immunsuppresive drug like steroids or Atopica. If the lesions keep coming back he may need to be on an immunosuppressive long term and/or a hypoallergenic diet. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the pictures, this does not look like a rodent / indolent ulcer. It is difficult to say because I cannot see the underside of the upper lip very well but the area you are referring to appears to be on the lower chin area. Rodent ulcers most commonly occur on the upper lip. What you are seeing could be feline chin acne. If this is chin acne, products with benzoyl peroxide for animals can help with the condition and also changing the food and water bowls to metal or ceramic if you are using plastic may help. Chin acne can be difficult to address and resolve 100% but in many cases, it will spontaneously resolve. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this with Vivian. The location is a little abnormal for a rodent ulcer, so I would probably recommend more dermatology diagnostics (especially in an 11 year old cat if she hasn't had problems with this before). That may include a skin scraping or cytology of the area or even a biopsy of the area. Sometimes challenging skin problems require a referral to a veterinary dermatologist for a diagnosis. You can find a veterinary dermatologist near you here. https://www.acvd.org/tools/locator/locator.asp?ids=16_Find_Dermatologist If all results still point to a rodent ulcer, there are other medications you can try that will suppress the immune system. I have included more information on feline eosinophilic granuloma complex below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=656 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi there, This appears very similar to something called a "rodent ulcer" or Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex, but it may be something different, like an infection or a growth. Eosinophilic granulomas are often thought to stem from an overreactive immune system or allergies to insects, a protein in their food, or their environment. Many cases resolve with a course of medication. Some cats need to have strict flea control or a prescription diet. Your vet can tell you more about Chibi's specific case after they do a physical exam. Just in case it is an Eosinophilic Granuloma, here is a link to learn more: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-eosinophilic-granuloma-complex-in-cats I hope this helps! Thanks for using PetCoach.

Ouch - yes, poor Oliver does appear to have a pretty large oral ulcer. Most of the time, these oral ulcers are caused by an eosinophilic granuloma complex, but they can be associated with ulcerated masses, such as a squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma. I'm glad to hear that you're taking Oliver to his vet as soon as possible. They'll be able to examine him and will likely recommend either taking a biopsy of this lesion so that a pathologist can help to determine the cause of the lesion. Knowing the exact culprit will help to guide the treatment, which is likely to include various oral medications, such as steroids, immunosuppressants, and sometimes antibiotics. I'm really glad to hear that Oliver is still eating and acting normally at home! Until your appointment, you may want to offer him canned food (if you aren't already), as this may be more comfortable for him to eat than dry food. Otherwise, there isn't anything else that you can do at home at this point aside from closely monitoring him for any changes in his appetite, behavior, and water consumption. I've included some articles below for further reading. I hope that everything goes well! https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/eosinophilic-disease/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/eosinophilic-disease-in-cats/

Poor Vivian! Unfortunately rodent ulcers are usually an auto-immune issue. I certainly think lysine and omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial long term. Vetriscience has some good products for both of those. I would also consider a veterinarian prescribed hypoallergenic diet. I am not sure colloidal silver will help. Some of these guys end up needing multiple steroid (+/- antibiotics) injections throughout the year to keep it under control. If it doesn’t start to clear up I would consider another steroid shot. Cats usually tolerate them well every 6-8 weeks. I hope this helps.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Cleo. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Her lip lesion appears similar to a condition known as an indolent ulcer. This can be the result of an allergic disease such as to her diet or fleas. She needs to be treated soon as if this is the case, the lesion can be harder to heal the larger it gets. I hope this information helps!