My 1-week-old kitten has open mouth sores. What should I do?

I am sorry to hear about your kitten. It looks like she could have an infection of the skin around her mouth, such as perioral dermatitis. This requires treatment wtih antibiotics. I would recommend having her examined by a veterinarian who can then prescribe medication to treat this condition.

Ouch, that must be very painful to Frankee and the kitten. There are a couple of reasons why they may have both developed these ulcers, and they include nutritional (protein - calorie malnutrition, riboflavin deficiency), infection (FeLV, FIV, calicivirus, herpes virus), toxins, foreign body, or electric cord shock. I would take them both into the vet first thing in the morning for an exam, as it's concerning that they are both showing the same symptoms. It will also be painful for them to eat, and cats should not go long without eating or they end up at risk of developing a fatty liver. The vet can do a physical exam, blood tests, a urinalysis, and any other tests they deem necessary. Once a cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment with you. I would offer them both gently warmed wet food tonight to tempt them to eat.

There are some viral infections in cars that can cause ulcerations on the tongue. A common one on cats is called calicivirus. This virus can be carried by very healthy cats and only cause a flare-up during times of stress, such as a big move. This virus cannot be transferred to humans or dogs, but is contagious amongst cats, especially younget ones (as older cats get continually vaccinated against this). If he is eating and otherwise acting fine, there is not much that can be done. However, if he stops eating/drinking or develops nasal or eye discharge, you should consider taking him in to your veterinarian.

I am very sorry that Kitty has his sore near her lip. Thank you for proving pictures, it is difficult to know precisely what caused this lesion it may have been a cat scratch, a traumatic puncture from for example a fence, or possible a primary skin like feline acne, or allergic disease. At this stage it appears to be slightly crusted and inflamed and I would suggest a trip to the veterinarian. The vet will most likely clean the wound and debris any necrotic material. The vet may also send home pain relief, anti inflammatory medications and / or antibiotics. The vet will also be able examine the area and reach a diagnosis. Best of luck to you both and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This looks to be a little sore on the lip that was caused by some sort of puncture wound, scratch, etc. I would monitor it for now and perhaps use a daily water additive or oral rinse that you can get from your local pet store. If it has not resolved or worsened after 7-10 days, then its best to take Arlo to your local vet to get this checked out to make sure there isn't something underneath the skin that got stuck and can't come out (foreign body) that has caused this. Also the vet can do a complete oral exam as well to ensure the gums and mouth look ok. I hope that your fur baby gets this to heal well soon and that it is just a sore. Best wishes and take care! : )

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!

Hi there. That wound on Phish could be a big pustule from feline acne or it could also be from a tooth root abscess. I would soak the area with warm water Epsom salt compresses twice daily for the next few days. If he is not improving then he should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Often antibiotics are needed in cases of feline acne. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.