Diagnosis and management of a wooden foreign body in the orbit of a cat

Initial findings and referral A 3-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was presented with acute unilateral conjunctivitis. The cat was treated medically and referred after 2 months for further ophthalmic examination. Causal diagnosis and surgical intervention Conjunctival hyperaemia and third eyelid protrusion were the only abnormalities detected. Ultrasonography was suggestive of a retained foreign body. A computed tomographic scan confirmed the presence of an elongated (5 cm in length) orbital foreign body. It was successfully removed by surgical resection and no recurrence of either cellulitis or enophthalmos was reported over a period of 6 months postoperatively. The eye remained functional. Practical relevance Intraorbital foreign bodies are not uncommon but have been more frequently described in dogs than in cats. They are often associated with cellulitis and orbital abscessation, necessitating enucleation. The present case illustrates an exceptional example of a wooden foreign body in a cat - unusual in terms of its dimensions and the relative absence of host reaction and inflammation over a prolonged period of time. It emphasises the need to consider the possibility of a retained foreign body in cats with persistent conjunctival symptoms.