# Cleft palette surgery?



## mel2mdl (Sep 7, 2008)

I adopted a puppy that was found at one day old with her mother. She had a mild cleft palette - was able to nurse, but still had a hole in the roof of her mouth - right behind the front two teeth (which she is missing!) They waited until she was weaned to do surgery - 8 weeks. When I took her in at 12 weeks, the hole was open again, so she had a second surgery. After a week, the hole opened again, so we tried a 3rd time. The vet said this is fairly normal because of the location.

Well, the stitches busted again and once again, she has a hole in her mouth. Since the last surgery she's worn an e-collar, only liquid/soft food, NO toys. Doctor said to try one more time, but then she'll need to go to a specialist. I'm starting to think that maybe the risk of surgery is greater than the risk of her getting food up in her nasal passages. Especially as I fed raw (when she's not recovering from surgery!)

Has anyone experienced this before? It's a very small hole - maybe 2 centimeters at most across. I don't even know where to start looking up information. Most of what I find suggest euthanasia, but usually the cases are more severe. I just hate seeing her undergo surgery after surgery with no good results.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

You have to close the hole. If not she will get chronic sinus/nasal infections. I had a puppy in my last litter of 13 with a small cleft in the soft palette. I tube fed him until he was 5 weeks and then introduced him to whole meats. He stayed on antibiotics until he was 7 weeks old and we repaired his cleft then. Luckily this was only in the soft palette. Your's is the hard palette. I wouldnt waste anymore $ with your vet, I would ask for a specialist and have it done right the first time. 3 surgeries is crazy!


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## mel2mdl (Sep 7, 2008)

twoisplenty said:


> I wouldnt waste anymore $ with your vet, I would ask for a specialist and have it done right the first time. 3 surgeries is crazy!


She's only had to pay for the first one, or we wouldn't have done a second! The vet has done the others for free - just trying to fix it. She's tried different ways of closing it each time. This poor puppy - her mom was in such bad shape, she was born without one eye and this palette thing. I just hate having to put her through that!


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## RRs (Aug 31, 2011)

mel2mdl said:


> She's only had to pay for the first one, or we wouldn't have done a second! The vet has done the others for free - just trying to fix it. She's tried different ways of closing it each time. *This poor puppy - her mom was in such bad shape, she was born without one eye and this palette thing. I just hate having to put her through that!*


On behalf of this puppy, and living creatures in general, Thank You! for not giving up. :angel:


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