Oropharyngeal wooden stick injury in a European shorthair cat

Abstract A 3‐year‐old European shorthair cat presented with dysphagia. Oral examination under sedation revealed a wooden stick that had penetrated orally through the soft palate. The presumed distal extent of the stick could be palpated subcutaneously behind the base of the left ear. Computed tomography showed a tubular foreign body with perforation of the pharynx and the retropharyngeal and cervical musculature on the left. According to the computed tomography scan, no critical structures were injured by the stick. The wooden stick was removed per os, and the penetration tract was debrided. Although rare, cats with acute stick injuries may present to emergency services and should be managed as per the treatment principles applied to dogs. This case report details the clinical presentation, diagnostic process and treatment approach for a rare oropharyngeal stick injury in a cat.