Evaluation of survival rate and athletic ability after nonsurgical or surgical treatment of cleft palate in horses: 55 cases (1986–2008)

Abstract

Horses with cleft palate had a higher survival rate than previously reported.

The laryngeal tie-forward procedure to alleviate aspiration of feed caused by hypoplasia of the soft palate of an adult mare

“…The right and left palatopharyngeal arches fuse rostrally to caudally, and therefore, if the hard palate of a horse is congenitally deformed, the soft palate must also be deformed (Barakzai et al 2014). The majority of palatal deformities are confined to the soft palate (Murray et al 2013;Riley et al 1991). Clinical signs associated with palatal defects, such as milk flowing from the nasal cavity after the foal nurses and signs of aspiration pneumonia, are usually observed soon after the foal is born (Barakzai et al 2014).…”

“…Some horses with defects in the palate may display no clinical signs associated with the defect (J. Schumacher, unpublished data), or the clinical signs produced by the defect are so mild that the owner fails to seek a diagnosis of the condition causing the clinical signs until the horse has reached maturity (Barakzai et al 2014). In one report of horses affected with cleft palate, the cleft remained undiagnosed in 16% of horses until the horses were more than 1 year old (Murray et al 2013). Typical clinical signs displayed by adult horses with a palatal deformity include discharge of feed from the nasal cavity, abnormal noise emanating from the upper portion of the airway during exercise, dysphagia, and signs of aspiration pneumonia (Murray et al 2013).…”

“…In one report of horses affected with cleft palate, the cleft remained undiagnosed in 16% of horses until the horses were more than 1 year old (Murray et al 2013). Typical clinical signs displayed by adult horses with a palatal deformity include discharge of feed from the nasal cavity, abnormal noise emanating from the upper portion of the airway during exercise, dysphagia, and signs of aspiration pneumonia (Murray et al 2013).…”

“…Foals with a palatal defect severe enough to result in aspiration of feed are often euthanized, because surgery to repair the soft palate is difficult and associated with a high incidence of complications (Bowman et al 1982;Ducharme 2012;Semevolos & Ducharme 1998). An owner of a horse with a congenital palatal deformity may not present the horse for investigation of the cause of clinical signs caused by the defect until the horse has reached maturity, if the signs caused by the defect are mild (Barakzai, Fraser & Dixon 2014;Jones 1975;Murray et al 2013).…”

The laryngeal tie-forward procedure to alleviate aspiration of feed caused by hypoplasia of the soft palate of an adult mare

“…An owner of a horse with a congenital palatal 24 deformity may not present the horse for investigation of the cause of clinical signs caused by the 25 defect until the horse has reached maturity, if the signs caused by the defect are mild (Barakzai,26 Fraser & Dixon 2014; Jones 1975; Murray et al 2013). …”