Cleft Palate in a Puppy – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key terms and definitions from the lecture on a puppy case study involving cleft palate, its types, causes, clinical signs, treatments, and risks.

Cleft Palate

A failure of tissue around the nose and oral cavities to close, creating an abnormal opening between mouth and nasal passages.

Primary Cleft Palate (Cleft Lip)

A cleft that involves mainly the lip region, visible at the front of the mouth.

Secondary Cleft Palate

A cleft affecting the hard and/or soft palate inside the mouth; often less obvious on initial exam.

Unilateral Cleft

A cleft affecting only one side of the lip or palate.

Bilateral Cleft

A cleft affecting both sides of the lip and/or palate.

Cleft Lip and Alveolus

A cleft that extends from the nose through the lip into the gum (alveolar) tissue.

Hard Palate

The bony, front portion of the palate separating oral and nasal cavities.

Soft Palate

The flexible, rear portion of the palate involved in swallowing and separating nasal passages during eating.

Brachycephalic Breeds

Dog breeds with broad muzzles (e.g., Boston Terriers, Bulldogs) predisposed to cleft palate due to greater tissue distance during development.

Predisposed Breeds

Miniature Schnauzers, Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, Dachshunds, Siamese cats—genetically prone to cleft palate.

Congenital Cleft Palate

A cleft present at birth, often linked to genetics or in-utero factors.

Acquired Cleft Palate

A cleft that develops after birth from trauma such as falls, electrical cord burns, or bone splinters.

Vitamin A Excess (in Pregnancy)

Maternal over-supplementation linked to increased risk of congenital cleft palate in offspring.

Corticosteroid Use (in Pregnancy)

Maternal steroid therapy that can disrupt normal palate formation in embryos.

Hypoxia (Fetal)

Low oxygen conditions during gestation, cited as a possible cause of cleft palate.

Pesticide Exposure (Gestational)

Contact with agricultural chemicals during pregnancy that can contribute to cleft formation.

Aspiration Pneumonia

Lung infection caused by food or milk entering the airways through the cleft, common in affected puppies.

Sneezing and Snuffling

Clinical signs during feeding when milk enters nasal passages via the cleft.

Stunted Growth

Poor weight gain in affected neonates due to inefficient feeding and recurrent infection.

Palatoplasty

Surgical repair procedure for cleft palate, involving suturing oral and nasal tissues together.

Surgical Risks (Cleft Repair)

Include anesthesia complications, infection, swelling, pain, loss of appetite, and respiratory issues.

Lung Wash (Bronchoalveolar Lavage)

Diagnostic procedure to collect fluid from the lungs; used here to culture pneumonia-causing bacteria.

Aemonis Culture

Bacterial growth isolated from the lung wash indicating respiratory infection in the puppy.

Embryological Development

Stage when oral and nasal tissues fuse; disruption leads to cleft palate formation.