Could my kitten have ear mites, bad breath, and swollen gums?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Nero has severe gingivitis. This condition can be caused by a condition that causes the tooth roots to be resorbed by the body, or a build up of bacteria and tartar around the gum line. This results in chronic infections an inflammation, which can be very painful and even result in Nero not wanting to eat. I recommend having Nero looked at by a vet as soon as possible to determine the cause of this condition and begin the appropriate treatment. He may need to have some of the teeth removed under general anesthesia. I hope this helps and that Nero gets better soon!

I would say from your pictures that Jax's gum is quite swollen and I imagine it's very painful to him. It could be that his tooth has broken off and is rotten causing the swelling and bad breath. It could also be he has a tooth root abscess. This is definitely something that needs to be treated sooner rather than later, so please call your vet to get him an appointment asap to have this treated. I would soak his dry food in warm water or gently warmed chicken broth to make his food softer to eat, or you can give him canned food for now. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

The swollen glands are probably lymph nodes. They enlarge to fight infection. Monkey probably has a dental infection causing the mouth odor and swollen glands. As long as she’s eating and feeling fine you can wait. She may be loosing her baby teeth and will get better on her own. If she’s not eating and seems sick then she needs veterinary treatment. soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Monkey.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. From the pictures you provided, Popcorn's teeth on that side do not look that diseased. There may be an infected tooth somewhere in the mouth that is causing the odor. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. He may be in need of a dental cleaning under anesthesia to help determine what the cause of the bad breath could be. There may just be bacteria in the mouth, not necessarily an infection. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From the blurry picture, it is tough to say for sure what this is but it looks as though there is a ulcerated sore on the upper right lip. This looks as though it could be consistent with an indolent ulcer, which is part of a disease known as Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex (EGC). The cause of EGC is typically unknown but treatment is generally steroid therapy (topical and systemic). Generally, an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory are used to treat these. Also, if Leo is drinking / eating out of plastic bowls, switch to metal or ceramic to see if this helps. Many times, these lesions pop up for no known reason and go away after treatment. These lesions may not show up for months to years later once initially resolved. If this sore is not improving, I would have a veterinarian take a look at it so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps!

While lethargy and heavy breathing after exercise are possible clinical signs of both these diseases, the only way to know for sure if Tesla has one of these diseases is to have your veterinarian test her. Both are a simple blood test that can usually be done in the clinic. Mycoplasma haemofelis (formerly Haemobartonella felis) can cause inflammation of the gums, however it is not commonly transmitted by fleas. There are also many other infectious diseases of cats that can cause heavy breathing as can other diseases including feline asthma, heartworms or even congenital heart defects. A red line on the gums can be due to dental disease (less likely in a young cat) or stomatitis. Your veterinarian will be able to examine Tesla for any additional clinical signs, perform testing to rule out infectious disease processes and prescribe necessary treatment.

Bad breath and inflammed gums in an older cat can be caused by gingivitis or stomatitis. This is a severe inflammatory disease caused by a reaction of the body's immune system to plaque on their teeth. It is extremely painful. I would recommend that Snowball be checked out by a veterinarian for treatment before it gets worse. If Snowball is a young cat or kitten, then there may be another cause, like oral trauma from eating something or an infected tooth. All of these should also be evaluated by a vet as soon as possible before they have a chance to get worse.