Gross cat, any guesses?

[Laurierace]

Let me just start out by apologizing, I was so dumbfounded and maybe a bit giddy that I didn't even think to take a picture. Big huge mistake, sorry!
Ok old feral Tom decides maybe people aren't so bad afterall and starts spending more and more time in the barn and getting closer to people. Today he was sitting on a hay bale when I walked by and noticed what I thought was an engorged tick in his ear canal. I made a few attempts to grab it with my fingers but couldn't get it. He doesn't protest my prodding at all however.

I go get hemostats and fiddle around trying to get a grip on it. A couple of times when I clamped down a little bit of it came off. Again, he doesn't protest in the slightest so I am sure I am not clamping down and picking at something that belongs to him. About my fifth attempt I finally get a hold of it and out comes....something. No clue what it was. It was about an inch long in total, did not seem to be moving at all. I cut it in half and it was the same material throughout ie. no guts or goo inside. The best way I can describe it would be the tail end of a snail. It was slimy and gooey looking and flesh colored.

Cat seems much happier to have whatever it was out, and needless to say it totally made my day, now I just want to know what it is!

[spurgirl]

Maybe one of those gross screw worms animals can get-cows are usually the hosts? Years ago we found a domestic bunny somebody let loose in a cow field, a few weeks later a lump came up on her neck, and a disgussssting gross worm kinda abcessed out of it. Seemed like it was a big as the lil' bunny! Ewww, still grossed out all these years later thinking about it.

It was tan colored, and really gross. Too cold around here (New England) this time of year for them to be around, don't know where you are....

[Laurierace]

Ok answering my own question here courtesy of an ask the vet forum. Apparently I surgically removed a benign inflammatory polyp. I can't believe it didn't hurt him to do that but it clearly didn't. The good/bad news is with the method of removal that I chose it is likely to recur. Yeehaw!

[MistyBlue]

Oh come on Laurie...NO PHOTOS???? :no: :winkgrin: :no:
I've pulled some nasty stuff off animals...I always forget to take photos too. I'm usually too thrilled at being grossed out to remember. Unless of course it's something I have absolutely no clue about and seems to be doing serious damage, then I get photos and send them off to the vet. Who usually calls to either tell me it's nothing important, how to treat, if the animal needs to come in (and the vet tries to avoid those since these are usually rehab wildlife with nasty-arse tempers) or to congratulate me on giving them a new photo for their Really Gross But Cool files. :winkgrin:

[Laurierace]

I know, I know. I sit here with my head hung in shame. I guess I was too anxious to cut it open and find out what was inside that it slipped my mind. Like I said the good news is it is likely to return. I won't make the same mistake twice! May even borrow a video camera!

[strawberry roan]

Um, I am glad there is no photo!! Yuck!! :eek:

[Alagirl]

I am blaming it on the Merlot, but this is funny.
Gross but funny! :lol::lol::lol:

[allpurpose]

...you didn't say...

WAS THERE PUS INVOLVED????;)

[Laurierace]

No pus today but tomorrow is a new day, who knows what riches it holds in store!?

[LovelyBay]

Oh I can't wait to see if we get a picture.... I love gross stuff like this!!!! As long as I'm not the one having to deal with it...

I worked at a summer camp one summer, and a horse got a really cut on his butt next to his tail. We cleaned it but left for the weekend on our break, and when we came back it was full of maggots!! The cut had gotten a lot deeper and two inches wider in a day! (I've learned about about when to call the vet since then) The vet actually said the maggots were a good thing because they ate the dead tissue, but it was horrible to have to clean out his wound.... Oh and the smell was puke-tastic!

[Mara]

...you didn't say...

WAS THERE PUS INVOLVED????;)

:lol: The more and stinkier, the better!