Cleft Palate
Under normal circumstances the hard palate closes completely before birth. A cleft palate is a birth deformity in which the palate (the roof of the mouth) fails to fuse along its midline. It can usually be corrected surgically, but it requires microsurgery by a specially trained and skilled veterinarian. Often the condition leaves an open space through the roof of the mouth into the breathing passages. Food and other foreign material may pass from the oral cavity into the nasal cavity through this defect, leading to a chronic nasal inflammation and discharge. Excessive nasal secretion may be aspirated into the lungs. Affected puppies or newborns have difficulty eating and suckling and will not grow as quickly or as large as their littermates. Some pups with cleft palate that attempt to nurse, aspirate and die.
Certain breeds are most prone to cleft palate than others. The defect is more common in Cocker Spaniel, Dachshunds, German Shepherd Dogs, Labrador Retrievers, Schnauzer, Beagles and Shetland Sheepdogs. Dog breeds with short heads (brachycephalic breeds such as Pug, Shih Tzu and Boston terrier) can have up to a 30% risk of this disorder. In Brittany spaniels pedigree analysis indicates that cleft palate trait is inherited as an autosomal recessive.
Folic acid has been shown to prevent neural tube defects in humans. In a consistent breeding programme of Boston terrier dogs started in 1974, folic acid supplementation (5 mg/day) was introduced in 1981. The frequency of cleft palate fell from 17.6% without folic acid to 4.2% after its introduction, giving a reduction of 76%.
Adapted from
1. The Merck/merial Manual for Pet Health
2. Small Dog Breeds. Dan Rice, D V M Dan Rice
3.UC Davis Book of Dogs: The Complete Medical Reference Guide for Dogs
4. Observations on the prevention of cleft palate in dogs by folic acid and potential relevance to humans. Elwood J.M.; Colquhoun T.A.
5. Cleft Palate with Autosomal Recessive Transmission in Brittany Spaniels. Joan T. Richtsmeier, Ph.D., George H. Sack, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. Hannah M. Grausz, Ph.D. Linda C. Cork, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Go Pets America recommends seeking the advice of your local veterinarian for the most appropriate vaccination program and for the diagnosis and treatment of your pet's health problems. For vaccination requirements please contact your state and local licensing authorities.
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