Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with nasal hairball blocking breathing treated twice
By Haynes, Kristin J et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2010·khaynesdvm@gmail.com·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Nasopharyngeal trichobezoar foreign body in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male cat started having nasal discharge and breathing through his mouth after three days of symptoms. Initially treated for asthma, his vet discovered a hairball stuck in his throat during an examination. After removing the hairball, his symptoms went away completely. Unfortunately, he had a second hairball blockage about a year later, but it was also successfully removed, leading to another full recovery.
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Abstract
CASE SUMMARY: A 5-year-old male neutered indoor cat presented for evaluation and treatment of an acute onset of nasal discharge and open-mouth breathing of 3 days' duration. He had been treated for asthma prior to presentation, but his clinical signs were more consistent with upper airway disease. Thoracic radiographs were suggestive of asthma. However, a soft tissue mass was noted in the nasopharynx on a lateral cervical radiograph. Nasopharyngeal examination revealed the mass to be a trichobezoar (hair ball) lodged in the nasopharynx, removal of which led to resolution of clinical signs. The cat re-presented with a second nasopharyngeal trichobezoar approximately 1 year later, which was also successfully removed. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Nasopharyngeal disease has myriad potential infectious, inflammatory and neoplastic etiologies. However, simpler causes such as foreign bodies can be considered in cases of acute-onset nasopharyngeal disease. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of a nasopharyngeal trichobezoar foreign body in a cat.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20974406/