Archive Case #95: Feline Gingivostomatitis

Clinical Clues

1. A cat is brought in for drooling, bad breath, and reluctance to eat dry food.
2. The owner reports the cat approaches the bowl eagerly but then backs away after trying to eat.
3. Weight loss has developed despite a previously normal appetite.
4. Oral examination reveals intense inflammation affecting the caudal oral cavity.
5. The cat reacts painfully when the mouth is opened.
6. Severe chronic oral inflammatory disease in cats commonly causes marked pain, ptyalism, and halitosis.

Diagnosis

Feline Gingivostomatitis

This case is most consistent with Feline Gingivostomatitis because the cat has severe painful oral inflammation with drooling and difficulty eating. The most important clues are the caudal stomatitis pattern and marked oral pain, which make simple dental tartar alone less likely.

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.