Who got your cat's tongue?

OK, there are going to be some really gross pictures in this post, so if you don't want to see them don't scroll down. DON'T SCROLL DOWN! They are very graffic and I don't know how to make it so you can't see them unless you click on them. So, just go on to the next site if you don't wanna see.




An outdoor only kitty who hadn't been eating well for a few days was panting outside when the owner noticed his tongue was bleeding and had something seriously wrong with it. (It is abnormal for cats to pant even in this obscene Texas heat). The poor cat obviously got his tongue caught on something that seriously cut it up. There was a dangling necrotic piece that clearly had lost its blood supply and now was dying a odiferous death in his mouth. Although it was late in the afternoon, we immediately sedated him and took care of it.

Here's the first gory picture, rather artfully taken by my nurse. You can see the dead portion of the tongue as it lays on the surgical drape.


I removed the dead part and debrided the rest of the tissue. There was a deep laceration on the bottom of his tongue (not full thickness) and a shallow one at the top that I sutured closed.


The post-operative results.


Cat tongues really are amazing to look at with those thick grooming spines. After some pain medication and antibiotics, I sent him home. He was affectionately rubbing his face on my hand when I discharged him, just 1 hour later!