This article originally appeared on Dr. Mahaney’s The Daily Vet column on PetMD as Cleft Palate in Dogs Awareness.
The Internet’s cuteness meter was recently taken by storm with the story of an adorable dog named Josh, who has a birth defect that limits his quality of life and the ability to properly eat and drink. Josh’s condition is called a cleft palate and can be a life-limiting factor for a puppy’s proper development.
According to the JOSH Facebook page: “The breeder took Josh into the shelter to be put to sleep at 48 hours because of a cleft palate. Rescued by LNPB and Hand raised by Me … Tina Marie Lythgoe.”
Since then, Josh has overcome adversity and matured into an adolescent pooch having a unique lifestyle. In the petition to have Josh appear on the cover of Modern Dog magazine, we learn some interesting facts about this cute pup.
Age: 5 months
Nicknames: wolfie! bad boy! wild child!
Likes: cats,birds
Dislikes: He likes everything!
Favorite Foods: His puppy food
Favorite Pastimes: Playing at our grooming shop
You can cast your vote for Josh through July 2nd by clicking this link: Meet: Josh
What I love seeing is the outpouring of photos and kind words on JOSH’s Facebook page from other owners who have dogs that are affected by cleft palate, including Giget, a Chihuahua, and Treble, who also looks like a Chihuahua (or mix). There are also well wishes from pet lovers worldwide who are interested in seeing Josh continue to thrive.
Additionally, Josh also has some unusual furry friends in his household. His Facebook page shares photos of a visiting opossum, with the caption, “Opogogio my brother ... He lost his mom when he was a baby ... He snuggles like a cat and he plays with toys like a dog ??JOSH”
What I find very interesting about Josh is that he’s has been able to thrive to the age of five months despite his medical condition. Having a cleft palate leaves an affected puppy, kitten, or other species especially prone to a variety of health concerns, including:
- Nasal discharge
- Cough
- Difficulty nursing
- Weight loss — resulting from inability to consume enough calories
- Failure to thrive — due to insufficient hydration and calorie consumption or susceptibility to health problems
- Aspiration pneumonia — inflammation and malfunction of the lungs caused by inhalation of liquid and food into the respiratory tract (trachea) instead of going down the esophagus
- Breathing problems — associated with aspiration and pneumonia
- Inappetence (anorexia) — decreased appetite, which can be related to diseases occurring as a result of the cleft palate, like pneumonia or others
- Other
- Griseofulvicin (Fulvicin) — An anti-fungal medication that is used to treat Dermatophytosis (ringworm)
- Vitamins A and D — Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy. Safety considerations in the design and interpretation of clinical trials indicates that “some animal studies have suggested the potential for dose-dependent fetal toxicities (for example, growth impairment, skeletal malformations and cardiovascular anomalies) associated with excess Vitamin D supplementation. While The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports “craniofacial … malformations” (those affecting the head and face) occurring in animals exposed to high Vitamin A intake during embryonic development
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Copyright of this article (2014) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format