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

The research article describes a study that evaluated the survival rate and athletic ability in horses following surgical and nonsurgical treatment of cleft palate. This retrospective case study included 55 horses and examined their medical records, diagnosis methods, areas of cleft palate involvement, surgery procedures, postoperative complications, and survival rates.

Study Design and Methods

• The researchers assembled a retrospective case series consisting of 55 horses that had been diagnosed with cleft palate.
• Out of the 55 horses, 13 died or were euthanized without receiving any form of treatment. These horses were thus excluded from some of the data analyses.
• Their medical records were scrutinized for the details of signalment, case history, the method applied for diagnosis, whether the soft or hard palate was implicated, the type of surgical procedure carried out, complications after the operation, and survival following hospital discharge.

Data Collection and Observations

• The study noted that the most common sign that necessitated the initial evaluation was the presence of milk or feed in the horses’ nostrils, which was observed in 60% of the cases.
• All the diagnoses were confirmed via videoendoscopy of the upper part of the airway.
• In the majority of the cases, it was the soft palate that was affected (92.7%).
• About half of the horses (47.3%) underwent a surgical repair procedure, 12 of which had dehiscence at the caudal edge of the soft palate.
• Among the potential racehorses (33 out of total), 14 were subjected to surgery, and 12 of these survived to be discharged. Notably, only 2 of these horses were able to participate in races.
• For horses who were not discharged post-surgery (10 out of 33), only 2 managed to race subsequently.
• Out of the non-racing horses (22 out of total), 12 underwent surgery, and 11 of them survived to get discharged.
• Interestingly, all the horses that got discharged and were available for further follow-up displayed survival till they were 2 years or older, with only minor nasal discharge and no significant ill effects, even when they had dehiscence at the caudal edge of the soft palate.

Conclusions

• In conclusion, the researchers indicated that the survival rate among horses diagnosed with cleft palate was significantly higher than what had been reported earlier in the literature.