What are the causes of a swollen lower lip in cats?

A swollen lower lip in a cat may be caused by mosquito bites, allergies, mouth injuries, internal heat, or eosinophilic granulomas. First, if the cat's lip is swollen but has no other abnormalities, it may be caused by mosquito bites. The owner can disinfect the area with iodine and apply edible antibiotic ointment. Second, if the cat has other symptoms along with the swollen lip, such as skin redness, rash, watery eyes, hair loss, etc., it is recommended to go to the pet hospital for inspection and treat accordingly based on the examination results.

1. Mosquito bites

After a mosquito bites a cat, it releases formic acid, which causes the lip to swell. As long as the cat does not have other abnormalities, the owner does not need to worry too much. They can apply some swelling-reducing ointments, and the cat's lip should return to normal in 1-2 days.

1. Allergies

If a cat comes into contact with an allergen or eats certain foods, or if it develops drug allergies due to recent medication, it can also cause lip edema. The cat may also show symptoms such as facial redness, vomiting, and skin rashes. It is recommended to take the cat to the pet hospital for allergy testing and injections to reduce symptoms.

1. Mouth injuries

If a cat's lip is injured or punctured by a foreign object, it can lead to inflammation and swelling. The owner should check the cat's mouth carefully for wounds or foreign objects. If found, they should remove the foreign object and clean and disinfect the affected area before applying an antibiotic ointment.

1. Internal heat

If a cat eats too much greasy, spicy, or high-salt food or snacks, it can easily become overheated, causing the lip to swell. It may also show symptoms such as increased eye discharge, watery eyes, constipation, dark urine, swollen gums, bad breath, and poor mental status. If the cat has these symptoms, the owner should encourage it to drink more water and feed it foods or drugs to reduce heat. In daily life, the owner should reduce the cat's intake of greasy and dry cat food.

1. Eosinophilic granulomas

Eosinophilic granulomas are a common skin disease in cats, mainly caused by the proliferation of eosinophils in the cat's body. It can cause abnormal thickening, swelling, and hair loss around the lip margins. The general treatment includes using anti-inflammatory drugs to control the inflammatory response and antibacterial drugs to prevent secondary infections at the damaged site. During treatment, the cat's mouth should be cleaned daily to prevent food decomposition and fermentation from exacerbating the condition.