That's not supposed to be there...

They say a picture is worth 1000 words. Look at the above images. Yes, that's right, that IS a sewing needle that is stuck in this cat's rectum. Ouch!

What usually happens is that the cat finds a piece of string and begins to play with it, as cats like to do. Inevitably, the string gets stuck on the little bristles (called papillae) on the tongue. Since these papillae all point backwards, the string only moves one way - down the back of the throat. Uh oh, what's that? A sewing needle on the end of the thread? Well, that will have to be swallowed also.

In this case the needle almost made it's way out of the large intestine. Unfortunately, the needle got caught at the level of the pelvis, and didn't want to come out. Fortunately, Dr. Grafinger was there to save the day! Surgery involving the large intestine is always dicey, and this needle had punctured the intestine on both sides, so the outcome was far from certain. But, this kitty recovered nicely, and is resting comfortably at home.

And all is well that ends well.

(PS: String is just bad for cats, even if there is no needle attached. Try to keep your cat away from string, thread, etc).

What's the matter, cat got your tongue?

Let me introduce you to Bernice, a thirteen year old cat that was referred by her regular veterinarian to my care this summer. As a veterinary specialist, I often see cases that need specialized diagnostic tests (ultrasound, endoscopy) and critical care. Bernice was not eating, and she was vomiting and swallowing in an exaggerated manner. And, oh by the way, Bernice had lost her meow. She would open her mouth and try to meow, but nothing came out. Quite the opposite of the old saying – cat’s got your tongue. Something was wrong with Bernice and she needed help. Her owner was concerned that something might be stuck in her throat, which was a definite possibility given the sudden onset of her concerns. We also had to consider that there might be a tumor or other abnormal growth in her throat.

Basic x-rays of her neck and chest did not reveal any problems. She was sedated and an endoscope (a small camera used to examine various areas of the body) was used to look in the dark recesses of her mouth, windpipe and throat. Lo and behold, just above the roof of her mouth, was a blade of grass. Bernice, being a cat who loved going outside for her daily constitutionals, had eaten some grass and apparently vomited the grass, as animals will do. Unfortunately for Bernice, a large blade of grass had lodged itself above the roof of her mouth and caused her distress. She had lost her voice and appetite because of this one piece of grass. Within minutes of discovery, the blade of grass was extracted. No damage to her throat was noted. She recovered well from anesthesia and she is back home, meowing again and hopefully avoiding grass as part of her diet.

Cindy Stubbs, DVM, MS, DACVIM

Water hazards aren't the only golf hazard.......

Here's a story of a dog who ate thirteen golf balls. TVEC's record is six!