Cleft Palate in Dogs

Cleft palate is a developmental condition of dogs and cats where the roof of the mouth fails to form normally, causing an incomplete separation between the mouth and the nasal cavity. This condition can be quite uncomfortable. If you've ever coughed a noodle or piece of rice into the back of your nasal cavity, you'll know what I'm talking about.

In most cases, it is a congenital malformation in that the body did not develop correctly, but in some cases it can be due to trauma.

When this occurs, it's important to reestablish a separation between the mouth and the nose to prevent foreign material from going into the nose, to prevent infection of the nasal cavity, and to prevent the potential for aspiration pneumonia, which can be life threatening.