Cleft palate in the horse.

The article discusses the rarity of cleft palate condition in horses, its history, clinical features, and possible treatments. It also provides insight into the impact of this condition on the animals.

Overview of Research

• The research article explores the occurrence of cleft palate in horses, stating that it’s a rare condition, especially in thoroughbred horses. It refers to historical accounts to highlight its scarcity.
• The authors note that the incidence is difficult to calculate, but statistics from a leading veterinary practice in Newmarket observed one occurrence in their history of delivering 1000 thoroughbreds annually.
• Additionally, from the specific cases admitted to the Equine Research Station at Newmarket, one in a thousand was accounted to have this problem.

Historical Background

• The study recognizes early references of soft palate clefts in horses going back to 1897. The earlier accounts highlight cleft palate occurrences in various types of animals, including snakes, lizards, jaguars, lions, rats, mice, cows, sheep, dogs, cats, pigs, and horses.
• Soft palate clefts are described in various cases throughout history that range from a 15-month-old filly in 1906 to a 22-year-old mare in 1912. All these cases report common symptoms such as nasal regurgitation and persistent nasal discharge during and after feeding.

Clinical Symptoms

• The most common symptom of a cleft palate in horses is nasal regurgitation of food particles and water after weaning, leading to malnutrition over time.
• The persistence of nasal discharge, sometimes even leading to nasal obstruction, is always present in these horses. The horse may also experience symptoms such as sneezing and shaking.
• In severe cases, the horse may develop pneumonia or fail to thrive post-weaning. However, if the cleft is minor, the horse’s symptoms are less severe and a reasonable survival time can be anticipated without treatment.

Discussed Treatments

• The researcher discusses potential treatments for this condition, but holds a pessimistic outlook towards their effectiveness, particularly surgical treatments.