Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a poorly defined disease characterized by severe inflammation of the gums and oral cavity and it is extremely painful and debilitating. Treatment usually involves medical and surgical approaches including full-mouth tooth extractions and the use of both antibiotics and immunosuppressive drugs. These treatments, however, do not cure the disease and are not ideal as there are significant side-effects that affect the quality of life for the cat. One potential therapy uses stem cells that are extracted from the cat’s own fat tissue [fat-derived mesenchymal stem cells (adMSC)]. Cat adMSCs can be generated in large quantities from a small amount of fat collected via a minor surgical procedure. These adMSCs are grown in culture and can be safely administered back to the diseased cat. To date, the investigators have treated 32 cats with FCGS and have observed significant improvements in their disease and in their quality of life, including complete cure. For this proposal, their aim is to expand upon our previous studies and to treat cats with stem cells that have a recent diagnosis of FCGS, prior to having full-mouth extractions. This study is important because if the proposed stem cell treatment proves to be beneficial for cats that do not have full-mouth extractions, it will revolutionize the treatment options for cats with FCGS, decrease the need for invasive surgical removal of their teeth, improve their quality of life and expand cell therapy to a wider range of diseased cats.
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