Abstract

A two-month-old canine male patient presents with unilateral cleft palate and lip. The clinical inspection showed normal parameters. In the radiological study of oral cavity, failure in the left labial muscles and a presumptive discontinuity of the incisor bone, showing caudal displacement of the lateral incisors in relation to the contralateral one was seen. The patient was treated with a palatorrhaphy technique performed along the hard palate, joining the two edges and with cheiloplasty of the lips. Tissue from the mucosa was separated and deciduous 501, 502, 503, 601, 602 and 603 were extracted closing the cavity. The nasal and oral cavity were separated by creating a flap, which was sutured to the nasal mucosa using modified Z-plasty technique to close the defect. The animal was discharged without an esophageal tube. After 7 days of treatment, due to the non-use of the Elizabethan collar, the animal returned with suture dehiscence located where the cleft lip correction procedure was performed. The same suture technique was used to repair stitch dehiscence. The patient was monitored for 20 days and had a satisfactory postoperative period, without observing recurrence of the condition and adverse effects to the treatment. The patient was fed a diet of pasty consistency until his complete recovery. Thus, it is a fact that early diagnosis, food management, correct surgical technique and adequate postoperative care are essential for a patient’s survival and appropriate juvenile development.

Keywords:Canine; Oral cavity; Nasal cavity; Palatoschisis; Cheiloschisis; Surgery

Abbreviations:CP: Cleft Palate; CL: Cleft Lip; CLP: Cleft lip and cleft palate; NSAIDs: Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs