Chronic Gingivostomatitis with Esophagitis in Cats

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCG) is a painful and debilitating disease characterized by erosive and/or proliferative inflammatory lesions in the oral mucosa of cats.

What causes this syndrome is not yet fully understood but we do know it has a multifactorial nature. Recent research suggests microbial factors and alterations in the innate immune response may play a relevant part in the development of this disease.

According to a recent study, cats with FCG have a high incidence of asymptomatic esophagitis that is not related to prior medications (such as antibiotics, corticosteroids or NSAIDs). For this reason, the authors recommend performing an endoscopic examination on these cats and if possible, a biopsy, as the normal appearance of the esophageal epithelium may hide histological changes.

The authors also mention that esophagitis should be addressed separately in cats with FCG, even if there are no typical signs of esophagitis, as it may aggravate the pre-existing condition.

In Kouki, M.I. et al. “Chronic Gingivostomatitis with Esophagitis in Cats.” Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 31.6 (2017): 1673–1679. PMC. Web. 22 Dec. 2017.