Cleft Palate
Basic Information 
Epidemiology
Risk Factors
Influence of teratogens, genetic factors, and malnutrition around the forty-seventh day of gestation
Clinical Presentation
Disease Forms/Subtypes
• The extent of clinical signs depends on the size of the defect and ranges from mild to severe.
• Both the soft and the hard palates may be involved. If the defect is small and only involves the caudal aspect of the soft palate, clinical signs may be mild and aspiration pneumonia may not be obvious for several weeks (if left untreated). These foals may eventually grow more slowly than healthy foals and appear unthrifty.
• Foals with a larger defect in the soft palate or with a cleft hard palate develop much more severe signs within days, prompting the owners to consult a veterinarian immediately.
