Nasopharyngeal polyps in the cat.

The occurrence of inflammatory nasopharyngeal polyps is described in a series of four cats. Two of the cats presented with classical features of chronic upper respiratory tract infection, in a third gradual onset of coughing and retching were the only clinical signs, while in the fourth only noisy respiration accompanied the growth. In each cat the polyp was attached to the pharyngeal opening of the eustachian tube and it is suggested that such masses arise from either the lining of the tube itself or that they may even find origin within the tympanic bulla. However, anamnesis and the subsequent clinical and radiographic examinations did not indicate that the polyps were associated with external or middle ear disease. Removal by simple dissection was effected without the necessity of splitting the soft palate in any of the patients and, though expected, recurrence has not yet been seen.