Cleft primary palate

Re: Cleft primary palate

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 00:12:09 GMT

There's certainly some inflammation in the area. It looks to me as if some oral hygiene needs to be applied there.

I'd strongly suggest considering extracting the small tooth (supernumerary) just mesial to the 204, for three reasons:

1. It would certainly improve the hygiene in the area.

2. The tooth already shows a periodontitis with notable bone loss.

3. That tooth also looks in the photograph to have suffered extreme wear and there may be a danger of pulp exposure although it has not happened yet.

On what we might call the "real" 203, there is certainly a hefty gingivitis; there may be some periodontitis and a little loss of bone height, I'm not sure. This tooth is going to deteriorate if hygiene is not addressed. Did you get a chance to probe it? You might consider removing this one too – I can't tell if that would be advisable or not. If in doubt, don't.

Re: Cleft primary palate

Rob Davis — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 18:31:05 GMT

This one has finally come in for spaying, giving me a long awaited opportunity to have a poke around! The defect has not caused her any problems to date. There does not appear to be any oronasal communication. Not planning on interfering!

Re: Cleft primary palate

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:56:26 GMT

Thanks for the update.

Re: Cleft primary palate

Rob Davis — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:14:37 GMT

This puppy is now 6 months old and has adult dentition (with same supernumary incisor). I haven't been able to determine whether the cleft communicates with the nasal cavity, but it is not currently causing the dog any problems. I am hoping to have a good poke around and get some radiograhs when she comes in for spaying in due course....

Re: Cleft primary palate

Richard Fox — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:22:04 GMT

Nice photos - never seen that before :)

Re: Cleft primary palate

Rob Davis — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:07:00 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]Can you post some more photos in 2 months' time?[/quote]

Will do (if I can get him to sit still for long enough!).

Re: Cleft primary palate

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:00:11 GMT

I've a feeling that Staffordshire Bull Terriers are genetically predisposed.

Surgical correction can be a possibility, depending on the degree of the defect, once the skull is fully grown, but it's pretty major stuff.

On the other hand a dog can often happily live with its defect (again depending on degree).

"Monitor it" as they say!

Can you post some more photos in 2 months' time?