Nova's Cleft Palate Repair Surgery

Nova was born on May 16th via C-section to a litter of 3. He took an extended time to revive compared to his littermates. After all the newborn puppies breath on their own and make noise, we (the staff at Angel Fire Small Animal Hospital:AFSAH where I work) give them all thorough exams; listening to their hearts and lungs, checking for abnormalities, and ensuring their umbilical cords are tied off. Nova's turn came up and a cleft palate was discovered. This is a birth defect that effects the roof of the animal's mouth. This condition occurs when the oral-nasal cavity does not form properly during utero(inside the womb). It is split down the middle effecting his hard palate and extending past his soft palate into the back of his mouth. Puppies with this condition need to be tube fed every feeding to prevent aspiration of milk/food into their lungs since the cleft exposes the nasal cavity from the mouth. Nova's previous owner needed help raising him with the professional care he required. The AFSAH team decided that we would be willing to take this role on, giving him the 24/7 medical care he needed and I would give him his forever home. Unfortunately, his cleft defect has grown as he grows and is getting bigger. It is now to the point where we had to consult an Oral/Dental Surgeon Specialist for advice. His defect is considered severe and is too complex and needs a specialist. We will now be taking him to The ANIC Hospital for his surgery. The cost to repair his cleft palate is much more than expected and we are looking for generous donations to help him. After he recovers from his 1st surgery he will need one more revision surgery and then he will be like a normal dog and be able to eat and drink on his own without the tube. His risk for rhinitis and aspiration pneumonia will be decreased immensely. We are all rooting for him and he has an awesome supportive team behind him, caring and rooting for his success in the future. Thank you for reading the story of brave Nova. He is a fighter and we would love for you to follow his on-going story. Anything will help this little guy.