I think one of the most important things about pet ownership is getting to know each of your pets habits and typical behaviors. The reason for this being that if something is off with them you'd be able to tell and could take appropriate action.
Over the weekend Splinter started acting a little strange, first by just being slightly more lethargic than usual. By Monday she was pawing at her face a lot, and making strange faces as if something was stuck in her throat. When we tried to see what was wrong, she started growling and hissing at us... that's when I knew it wasn't something to just "wait and see" with. So the next morning we went back to see Dr. Lista.
As soon as we got to the oral exam the diagnosis was instant... Splinter has stomatitis. While it's not very common in cats under 2 years old (Dr. Lista was shocked that Splinter had it at 9 months old), it isn't impossible. Essentially the bacteria in the cats mouth builds up so quickly that the gums get infected, which then spreads throughout the mouth and can lead to ulcers and even death if left untreated.
Fortunately, Splinter was not at an unmanageable stage, so she was given a shot of cortisone (which she'll need regularly) and put on a special diet specific to stomatitis. She'll also need her teeth brushed daily, and extra dental care at home. Every few months she'll have to go back to the vet for deep dental cleanings, and probably in another year or two we'll have to extract her teeth. All of it is pretty manageable, and we'll constantly reassess her treatment as we go forward. It's going to be a lifelong problem for her, but I'm absolutely willing to do whatever it takes to keep her healthy and happy.
And because I'm such a nerd, I've been reading everything I can find about stomatitis online.
This site is awesome for clinical information: DVM360
This site is great for support, and for holistic treatments: A Path With Paws (also great for homemade raw cat food recipes!!)
A forum where I've found awesome support and helpful tips: Squidoo
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