Cleft Palate in Dogs

This condition is most often discovered as a birth defect in very young puppies who may show a round belly just as healthy puppies do, but are failing to thrive and gain weight. It is imperative to visit a veterinarian if you suspect that your puppy is becoming malnourished. A cleft palate may cause the newborn pup to have an inability to suckle the mother’s milk. It may appear that he is able to drink and gain nourishment, but he is actually taking in air only. This is the reason for the round belly you may see. Older puppies with a mild cleft palate may show less distress, but a visit to the veterinarian to determine the extent of the cleft is crucial to your pet’s well being.

A newborn pup with a severe opening of the palate will unfortunately die of starvation if the defect is not detected early on. The pup will not be able to get adequate nourishment from nursing, and there is the possibility that any liquid he is able to take in will be aspirated into his lungs, leading to pneumonia and death.

Puppies that have a less severe cleft palate can continue to grow, albeit slowly. However, issues with the health of your dog may be seen with the following symptoms:

• Stunted growth due to poor weight gain
• Breathing difficulties upon exertion
• Coughing or gagging
• Nasal discharge that may include milk
• Infection/pneumonia due to food aspiration

Studies have shown that cleft palate is most often caused by a genetic malformation. It is also believed that the palate may be formed in an abnormal way due to nutritional deficiencies, drugs, viruses or poisons to which the mother may have been exposed when pregnant. Excessive doses of vitamins A and D are thought to cause cleft palate also.

Brachycephalic breeds, who have small faces (such as Pekingese or French Bulldogs) are most commonly affected by cleft palate. Purebred dogs and cats have a higher incidence of the malformed palate.

Types

A cleft palate in your dog can be described as a primary cleft palate (found on the lip and also known as harelip) or a secondary cleft palate, which is what we are describing here, whereby the palate does not fuse together in a normal fashion, leaving a hole between the cavities of the mouth and nose. A hard cleft palate is found in the bony section of the roof of the mouth. A cleft in the soft section is described as a hole in the swallowing portion of the mouth. The cleft may be found in both the hard and soft areas of the mouth concurrently.

If your dog has a primary cleft, or harelip, the diagnosis is very straightforward based on the appearance of your pet’s nose and mouth, with teeth possibly showing, or an oddly shaped nostril.

You may have decided to bring your pet to the veterinarian to determine the reason for a constantly running nose or because of an odor emanating from the nasal cavity. Perhaps you have noticed that your dog has difficulty breathing when exercising. There are numerous reasons to suspect a cleft palate in your dog. A visit to the veterinarian for a diagnosis is key to ensuring your pet continues to be healthy.

During the examination, your veterinarian will examine the palate of your dog. A cleft of the hard palate will be easily seen as one can clearly view the fact that a hole is present. To properly observe the soft palate, your dog will be put under anesthesia so the veterinarian can look deep into the oral cavity. Thoracic x-rays may also be done to check for signs of pneumonia due to the aspiration of food.

Treatment for the hard or soft palate cleft varies depending on the severity of the impairment and the age of your pet.

If you have a newborn puppy in a young litter, the treatment can be extensive. As a pet owner you must be willing and capable to undertake a comprehensive feeding and care regimen prior to surgery taking place. Your puppy will need to be fed with a tube every three or four hours around the clock for two to three months. After the puppy is old enough to undergo surgery, he will enter the hospital for a repair of the cleft. Because your puppy will still be young and quite possibly still underweight, anesthesia and surgery can be risky. The technique of cleft palate closure can be successful, though more than one surgical procedure may be required to achieve complete closure.

Older dogs that are diagnosed with cleft palate can experience complete resolution, particularly if the opening between the oral and nasal cavity is not too large. If there is the presence of pneumonia, this illness must be completely cured before an operation to correct the problem can take place.

Because cleft palate surgery often requires the suturing of mucosa from the dental cavity, the proper healing of the wound influences the recovery and management. Follow up with your veterinarian will be necessary in order to monitor the healing process, which involves checking for the correct fusion of mucosa over the palate. Antibiotics will be prescribed if your pet had a previous infection or a case of pneumonia prior to the surgery.

In some cases, your pet will need to be fed by tube for seven days after the operation. Your veterinarian will then discuss the best way to proceed; a soft diet for the next six weeks minimum is the usual protocol.