Meet Laney

Laney is a 10 year old female spayed DSH feline that presented to our facility for anorexia and sensitivity of the head region, noticeably around the mouth. When she tried to eat at home she had an episode of jumping straight into the air.  Laney was current on all vaccines, lived indoors only and was in a single pet household. In the hospital Laney had several episodes of open mouth screaming, which was assumed to be pain. She was shaking and trembling with attempting to eat.

Laney had a complete blood count, blood chemistry, electrolytes and Idexx feline snap PLI all in the normal reference ranges. A lateral/VD radiograph of the chest and abdomen were also unremarkable. Laney was placed under anesthesia for an oral exam and cervical spinal, dental, and skull radiographs. A mandibular symphyseal fracture was present that had a small amount of laxity with manual manipulation (onset and duration were unknown). The rest of the radiographs had no obvious abnormalities. A wire was placed encircling the mandibular symphsis.

Laney remained painful despite the mandibular fracture stabilization. An abdominal ultrasound was performed with normal results. She would not eat or allow syringe feeding, so an esophageal feeding tube was place. She was discharged with pain medication (tramadol and metacam).
 
One week later on recheck examination, the owner reported anorexia and reluctance to use the litter box. The esophageal tube feedings were going well and she was maintaining her weight. An esophageal scoping was normal. A CT of the head was performed. The CT showed an expansile, round to mildly lobulated bone lesion at the medial aspect of the left mandibular condylar process with a  well-defined cortical bone peripherally and trabecular bone centrally. The mass was deforming and displacing the temporal bone at the left side of the base of the calvarium dorsally. This portion of the temporal bone was bulging in a convex shape into the cranial cavity and was thin with a few small defects, most likely representing pressure atrophy. It was concluded there was a bone tumor, likely benign, such as an osteoma or an old healed fracture.

A left mandibular condylectomy with mass removal was performed. The histopathology was benign bone with fibrocartilaginous cap: Osteoma.

Twenty-four hours after surgery Laney was grooming herself again. She began eating slowly and the esophageal tube was removed 9 days post surgery. Laney is now happy and normal at home.

Stephanie Dobbins, D.V.M.