Current findings on the diagnosis of gingivostomatitis in cats – bibliographic study

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis is a condition often observed in clinical veterinary practice. Characterized by typically bilateral ulcerative lesions, this pathology often causes intense pain and oral discomfort in affected feline patients, the direct clinical consequences being dysphagia and subsequent anorexia, which lead to a gradual deterioration of the general condition. With a multifactorial etiology, incompletely elucidated, the diagnosis of feline gingivostomatitis is mainly based on the clinical picture, complemented by usual and specific paraclinical investigations. Feline patients with chronic gingivostomatitis require the study of the etiopathogenesis, the ultimate goal being to establish, as far as possible, a diagnosis of certainty. The diagnostic protocol includes testing for pathologies such as FIV, FeLV and FCV, a complete set of hematological and biochemical blood tests, as well as radiological examinations of the oral cavity, being completed by biopsy and microscopic, histopathological examination of the affected tissues, which often indicate the presence of lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, suggesting an exacerbated immunological response. Thus, possible abnormalities of the immune system, such as the presence of autoimmune diseases, feline immunodeficiency, neoplasia etc., modify the patient’s immune response and lead to the occurrence of opportunistic infections, which contribute to the chronic nature of this pathology. Radiographic examination is also essential for the evaluation of dental structures, for highlighting the degree of extension of the periodontal disease, for evaluating the degree of root resorption, for detecting possible neoplastic processes, as well as for pre- and post-extraction evaluation where appropriate. This paper includes a brief presentation of chronic gingivostomatitis, as a current feline pathology, with an emphasis on the main clinical-diagnostic coordinates of interest.