74 Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



lip being developed from a dififerent center from that forming the 

 outer part of the upper lip. Cleft palate forms a communicating 

 channel with the nasal cavities so that portions of alimentary mat- 

 ter pass out by the nose. Affected animals in which this occurs 

 suffer emaciation and usually succumb within a few days after birth. 

 In animals that manage to imbibe nourishment there is opportunity 

 for the giving of surgical relief at a later stage. 



Treatment. Hare-lip may be successfully remedied at any 

 age. The position of the canine teeth must be noted and if by 

 reason of their prominence they offer any interference are to be ex- 

 tracted. Cocaine anesthesia is sufficient for the operation. The 

 edges of the deformity are "freshened" by cutting away a narrow 

 strip of tissue at their borders and the parts loosened from the sub- 

 jacent gum by appropriate dissection. The edges are then approx- 

 imated and secured by stout silk sutures. If the sutures are subse- 

 quently torn out by the animal they are to be replaced. 



Cleft palate is relieved preferably under chloretone narcosis 

 along similar lines but the technic is a good deal more difficult. 

 Before the separated edges can be approximated, the palate, which 

 owing to its intimate connection with the bone is not extensible like 

 the lips, must be separated from the bone by bltmt dissection a short 

 distance on each side of the edges, and incisions made parallel to 

 the latter on both sides' at the outer extremity of the freed area. The 

 edges are then "freshened" and drawn together with interrupted 

 sutures, the gaping incisions being left to fill up by granulation. 



TRAUMATIC LESIONS. 



Wounds of every variety may occur in or about the mouth. 

 Bites by other dogs and penetration by foreign bodies are common 

 lesions. 



Treatment. The ordinary methods of cleansing, suturing and 

 giving drainage are indicated. 



STOMATITIS. GINGIVITIS. GLOSSITIS. 



Inflammation of the buccal tissues may be diffuse or. limited 

 to the gums (gingivitis), the tongue (glossitis), the palate, the 

 cheeks, etc. 



Catarrhal and gangrenous forms are recognized, the latter be- 



