Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a poorly defined disease characterized by severe inflammation of the gums and the back aspects of the oral cavity. FCGS is painful and debilitating. Treatment usually involves medical and surgical approaches including full-mouth tooth extractions and the use of both antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs (corticosteroids). However, these treatments are not ideal. They are not 100% effective and there are significant potential complications that affect the quality of life for the cat. One form of stem cell therapy uses stem cells that are extracted from the cat’s own fat tissue, called fat- derived mesenchymal stem cells (adMSC). MSC therapy is used in human and horse medicine to treat chronic inflammatory diseases. This cell therapy may alter the inflammatory response that is abnormally regulated with stomatitis in cats. If the proposed stem cell treatment proves to be beneficial, it will revolutionize the treatment options for cats with FCGS.
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