Dear Tilly

Taken December 2012

Tilly, our youngest cat (just over a year old), started suffering with, what seemed like at the time, a bunged up nose.  This started back in late Summer and to start with, it didn't seem anything to really worry about, there was no actual "snot", she just sounded a bit strange.  As time went on, she began to snore rather loudly and then we noticed she'd often open her mouth to breath, especially when she was asleep. 

We've had several unlucky visits to the vets.  Unfortunately our usual vet doesn't seem to be around any more - we've been told she is on a long holiday (!), so Tilly has been seen by a string of locums who seemed baffled and really not much help.  Our last visit we had a lovely young chap who suggested an endoscope would be the next port of call, should a course of Medicam not do the trick.  As expected the Medicam didn't do a thing to help.  At this stage, having read about polyps growing up horses noses and causing similar problems, including a smell coming from the nose which Tilly was now developing, I wondered if this was what she had, either that or a foreign body stuck up her nose.

Ringing to arrange another appointment to book Tilly in for an endoscope resulted in reception saying it would be another new vet and she'd want to see Tilly first to write her own notes (meaning another consultation fee) before contemplating referring her elsewhere.  I decided to investigate "elsewhere" and move vets, which I did, and am extremely happy with the new practise (recommended by a friend - should have gone there long ago!).

Vet saw her, kept her in to investigate and removed a polyp that was growing in her eustachian tube.  The polyp was 2cm x 1.5cm - pretty large for such a small puss.  Needless to say she is a million times happier - eating well (and putting on weight), no snoring, no snorting!  Due to the nature of the operation, her left eye is dilated compared to the other, and sometimes has a "third eye" (piece of membrane) over part of it.  Hoping this will clear as time moves on - the vet believes it is slight nerve damage.


2cm x 1.5cm polpy - nasty!

So, hopefully the other cats can start to accept her now, as before they'd just hiss and run away (because of the noise I guess), and we really hope the polyp won't return (although there's a chance it may) and that Tilly stays happy and healthy.