Contact Mucositis

Contact mucositis (AKA CUPS, Kissing lesions, CCUS) is an oral inflammatory condition in dogs that is similar to stomatitis in cats but does have some distinct differences.

It is typically caused by immune system over reaction to contact of soft tissue to areas of bacterial plaque, which are typically the large teeth in the mouth, but can be other areas as well.

This disease is exceptionally painful for dogs, with many dogs having difficulty eating and extreme head shyness, in addition to spontaneous oral bleeding.

Dental treatment is focused on reducing the bacterial burden in the mouth through dental cleaning and extractions of diseased teeth, and sometimes long term modulation of the immune system is needed to really control the disease well.

With appropriate treatment, most dogs with this condition recover well and do have good quality of life, but treatment can be ongoing long term.