My cat has swollen gums and fur loss. Why aren't antibiotics helping?

Yes! I would take him to the vet for an exam. The swelling you are seeing is due to infection. Over time the infection will loosen the dental ligaments and the teeth will fall out. This is a painful condition and should be addressed with a dental cleaning, some antibiotics and maybe a long term antimicrobial rinse for the mouth that you can do at home. Hope this answers your question. If you have more questions you are welcome to post again.

Antibiotics are not very effective for gingivitis and will not cure it, so I don't reccomend giving them. Gingivitis is usually caused by a dirty mouth and requires a full dental cleaning to clear the problem. Cats can sometimes develop gingivitis for unknown reasons and these cases are extremely difficult to manage. I reccomend bringing Flora to a vet to have her examined. Often times, gingivitis indicates that there may be some severely diseased teeth that need to be pulled. In the meantime, you can try to brush the teeth daily - don't use toothpaste though. I hope that helps.

It is probably a good thing that that the tooth fell out as there was likely infection that loosened it and that was painful. If the swelling goes back and she has no pain, then you do not need to take her to a vet, However, check the other teeth as well. If there is tartar, or if the gums are red, you should have her mouth checked by the vet as she may need a dental cleaning.

The medications should have an effect within a week or so but response is variable. Gingivitis can be complicated in cats as it can have an autoimmune component. Special foods can help with the condition and daily tooth brushing with pet toothpaste will help the most if Chibi will allow it. Some cats may eventually need all the teeth removed. Hopefully Chibi’s is not that serious and I hope she responds quickly to treatment. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Not really. Natural stuff that have antiseptic effect like garlic and onion are toxic to cats. For a swollen gum from a loose tooth you can use an ice-pack compress for 30-60 seconds, if Fish will allow you. If she is in pain, you may have to take her to your local vets to get pain killers by injection or/and remove the loose tooth.

It's possible that it could be an allergy or infection. Additional causes could be an underlying viral illness that is coming back in times of stress or at regular intervals. Tooth abscesses may also cause pain in the mouth and jaw, as well as swelling. It would be best to have some more tests done by your vet next time it occurs, such as a dental X-ray, bloodwork, or sample of the affected area taken for testing. This may help you and your vet figure out what the underlying cause is.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jake. I would recommend that he goes under anesthesia and has x-rays of his teeth to be sure a dental abscess is not to blame. If this is not the case, it may be warranted to tested for a fungal infection. Finally, you can seek a second opinion with an internal medicine specialist. I hope this information helps!