Chronic gingivitis or calicivirus?

Ceaumama
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Evening,

My daughter is going abroad for a month-long placement and has asked if I could look after her cat, who's about twelve years old. I'd be more than happy to, but she's just told me that her boy has chronic gingivitis which has been treated; he's now had all his teeth removed and is on medication, although I don't know which one. Does it definitely have to be calicivirus, or could it just be an untreated dental issue? She got him from a rescue and they didn't mention calicivirus to her. Are rescues obliged to inform you if that's the case? My concern is that I have a 13-month-old cat who is up to date with his jabs, but would there be any risk? And how can you tell if it is calicivirus or not? Thanks very much.

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    • ProvetoJuniorConseil
    Provetojuniorconseil Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    You’re absolutely right to be asking these questions given the situation.

    It’s important to note that chronic gingivitis in cats isn't always linked to calicivirus. To find out more about the cause of the condition in your daughter's cat, you could perhaps ask the vet who treated them and have a look at the clinical notes. To identify a viral cause, a PCR test using an oral swab might have been done, but it isn't always carried out, nor is it always necessary for the cat's medical management.

    As your cat is 13 months old, their vaccination schedule should offer protection, provided their cat flu jabs (including the calicivirus strain) have been properly administered.

    However, it’s also worth keeping in mind that while vaccination provides better protection by reducing the severity of the disease, it doesn’t completely rule out a possible infection.

    If you're unsure of the calicivirus status, it might be sensible to keep the cats separated for the first few days and discuss the matter with your vet.

    All the best and I hope you have a lovely summer,

    Inès

    Translated from French

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