Clinical and surgical management of complete cleft palate in a Siberian Husky dog - case report

ABSTRACT Congenital cleft palate is the most described malformation in dogs, especially in purebred puppies. It is characterized by abnormal communication between the oral and nasal cavities through an opening in the palate, which can cause milk aspiration, pneumonia, inadequate breastfeeding, neonatal triad, failure to gain weight and death. The objective of this report was to describe the clinical and surgical management of a neonatal Siberian Husky puppy with congenital cleft palate, highlighting the importance of orogastric probing for neonatal survival, as well as surgical correction for the patient's quality of life. Orogastric tube feeding was performed during the first four months of age, and after this period, the surgical procedure to close the palate was performed. The management of the orogastric tube proved to be effective, with adequate development of the puppy (constant weight gain), a reduced risk of neonatal triad and milk aspiration, good acceptance by the patient, and easy management for owners. The waiting time for cleft palate surgery, performed at four months of age, proved to be essential to avoid reopening the cleft.