Surgical Repair of Severe Acquired Palatal Defects in Dogs

Objective
To report a staged approach that includes selective dental extractions before definitive double-layer hard palate defect closure in dogs.

Study Design
Retrospective case series.

Animals
Dogs (n=6) with a palatal defect.

Methods
Dogs had selective maxillary teeth extractions 4–8 weeks before definitive hard palate defect repair by double-layer local full-thickness mucosal flaps.

Results
All palatal defects were considered complex. Complete hard palate closure was achieved after initial attempt in 3 dogs; 2 dogs had revision surgery before complete closure, and in 1 dog, closure failed and further treatment was declined. No complications or long-term consequences were associated with selective dental extractions.

Conclusions
Selective dental extractions before definitive surgical repair using mucosal flaps in a double-layer approach is an effective alternative when treating complex hard palate defects in dogs.