Cleft lip in Cows (Bovis) | Vetlexicon
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Cleft lip

ISSN 2398-2993

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Synonym(s): lip mouth deformity

Introduction

  • Cause: congenital.
  • Signs: unilateral/bilateral in the upper lip.
  • Diagnosis: clinical exam.
  • Treatment: see below.
  • Prognosis: guarded especially if associated with cleft palate.

Presenting signs

  • Deformity in upper lip.
  • Can also present with ill thrift and poor suck reflex.
  • Other congenital abnormalities may also be noted, in particular cleft palate (associated with poorer prognosis) .

Geographic incidence

  • Global.

Age predisposition

  • Neonates.

Breed/Species predisposition

  • The evidence base relating to breed predisposition is lacking:
    • Anecdotally, it is the author’s and reviewer’s experience that Native UK breeds are overrepresented Shorthorn Aberdeen Angus.
    • Herefords Hereford and Charolais Charolais breeds have been reported to experience this condition as an autosomal recessive issue, but this tends to be in association with other clinical symptoms related to specific genetic problems.

Cost considerations

  • Surgery may be considered. However, surgery would not usually be recommended unless there were significant respiratory or prehension issues.
  • The suck reflex may be affected and result in ruminal drinking. It is therefore advisable to wean the calf onto creep feed as soon as possible.

Pathogenesis

Etiology

  • Clefts occur as the result of a failure in closure of facial processes such as frontonasal, maxillary and facial processes.

Predisposing factors

General

  • Autosomal recessive gene in the Hereford Hereford and Charolais Charolais breeds associated with arthrogryposis and palatoschisis.
  • May occur singly in other breeds.

Specific

  • Environmental factors during the early gestation period:
    • Hypervitaminosis A Vitamins: overview.
    • Folic acid deficiency.
    • Administration of griseofulvin (anti-fungal used to treat ringworm) Ringworm.Griseofulvin is no longer licensed for food producing animals in the EU.
    • Ingestion of toxic plants, eg lupine Lupine poisoning and poison hemlock Hemlock poisoning during early gestation.

Pathophysiology

  • The congenital abnormality that leads to the inappropriate fusion of the median nasal and maxillary processes will cause a single or double cleft lip either side of midline. It is often associated with a cleft palate.

Timecourse

  • Lifelong condition.

Diagnosis

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Treatment

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Prevention

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Outcomes

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Further Reading

Publications

Refereed Papers

  • Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
  • Abdelhakiem M A H & Abdelhakam M S (2016) Cleft lip (hare lip), Campylorrhinus lateralis (wry nose) and congenital flexural deformity of the metacarpophalangeal joints in a calf. In: Proc Scientific Research and the Development of Livestock ResearchGate.
  • Wheat J D (1960) Harelip in Shorthorn cattle. J Heredity 51 (2), 99-101 OxfordAcademic.

Other sources of information

  • Aiello S E & Moses M A (2018) The Merck Veterinary Manual. 11th edn. Merck & Co Inc, USA. ISBN: 978-0911910612.
  • Boden E (2005) Ed. Black’s Veterinary Dictionary. 21st edn. ISBN: 978-0713663624.