What Is Soft Palate Displacement In Horses?

Dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) describes the condition where the soft palate displaces upwards to sit on top of the epiglottis (Figure 2). When this happens the soft palate ends up obstructing the opening to the trachea (larynx), and thereby reduces the amount of air that a horse can take in.

What is a soft palate in horses?

An anatomical structure called the soft palate contributes to the horse’s inability to mouth-breathe. Simply described, the soft palate is a musculomucosal sheet that separates the pharynx into oral and nasal compartments.

Is dorsal displacement of the soft palate genetic?

It is unknown if there is a genetic predisposition to this disease, although racehorses (Standardbred and Thoroughbreds) are more commonly affected; it cannot be determined if the high prevalence in those breeds is really breed related or related to their being subjected to the most strenuous exercise conditions.

What is a flipped palate in a horse?

The technical term for choking down is dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP). Trainers who say that a horse “swallowed his tongue” or “flipped his palate” are also referring to this misalignment of soft structures in the horse’s throat near the larynx.

What is the function of the soft palate?

The soft palate serves to elevate the nasopharynx, effectively closing the communication from the oropharynx to the nasopharynx. The soft palate is comprised of five muscles that play essential roles in breathing, phonation, and swallowing.

What problems can the soft palate cause?

The soft palate is involved in several conditions and diseases in humans, including cleft palate, sleep apnea, and cancer. In cleft palate, the soft palate may have a fissure, causing failure of the palatal shelves (in the roof of the mouth) to close during prenatal development.

How do you fix a soft palate?

The only way to repair a cleft palate is by surgery. The goal is to close the opening in the roof of the child’s mouth. Your child will be in the operating room for only a few hours.

What age should palate be repaired?

Palate repair surgery is usually done when your baby is 6 to 12 months old. The gap in the roof of the mouth is closed and the muscles and the lining of the palate are rearranged. The wound is closed with dissolvable stitches.

What does dorsal displacement mean?

Dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) is a misalignment of tissues in the horse’s throat. This condition, which is common in horses that work at high speeds, causes a drop in performance because affected horses are unable to breathe freely.

Can the soft palate be reconstructed?

Prostheses and surgical reconstruction are used for the functional reconstruction of the soft palate. Although reconstruction with a prosthesis is relatively easy to perform, it decreases function and patient compliance, and the procedure is difficult to perform in patients with a large defect or without teeth [1].

What is a collapsed soft palate?

The back of the throat, known as the soft palate, can collapse. This makes it difficult for air to move freely through the throat. Penn Medicine is one of the few health systems in the country offering transpalatal advancement pharyngoplasty for soft palate collapse.

How do I stop my horse from inverting?

From the outside leg, ask the horse to step over until his body is roughly at a 45-degree angle from the rail with his hindquarters furthest, and then ask him to move away from your inside leg back to the rail along the same curved track. Walking forward can be corrected with a backwards step, and then resume.

How is a high palate fixed?

This condition can be treated with braces and surgery, but it’s important to state that if left untreated in childhood, a narrow palate can be quite difficult to treat later in life. This dental condition can cause other health problems if left untreated.

How long does soft palate take to heal?

After surgical procedures to the soft palate, you may experience difficulty swallowing for 1 to 2 weeks. After that time, you’ll likely be cleared to return to all your regular activities, but full healing may take 3 to 6 weeks.

What are the 2 functions of the soft palate?

The main functions of the soft palate are to aid speech, swallowing, and breathing.

How does soft palate affect speech?

During normal speech, the soft palate muscle in the mouth moves up and down and touches the back of the throat. To produce oral consonants (letters such as p, w, and x), the soft palate closes against the back of the throat. When the muscle closes tightly against the back of the throat, air cannot come out the nose.

What are the symptoms of a soft palate?

Some signs and symptoms of soft palate cancer can include the following:

• Bleeding.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Difficulty speaking.
• Bad breath.
• Mouth pain.
• Sores in your mouth that won’t heal.
• Loose teeth.
• Pain when you swallow.

How much is a soft palate surgery?

Veterinary Cost
Soft palate resection: $500 to $1,500.

How do you test your soft palate?

Methods for assessment of soft palate form include visual inspection, radiographic visualization, and cast assessment [19].

Is palate expansion surgery painful?

Like any new dental device, palate expander can cause minor discomfort for the first few days. Some people have slight discomfort after turning the key, too. To reduce tenderness, take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen.

Does the palate heal?

Most palatal injuries heal without medical intervention due to the palate’s high healing capacity.