Hi
A friend of mine has just had a litter 3 days ago and I of the pups has a tiny split in its upper gum.Can anyone explain to me what this is.it hasn`t got a cleft palate or hare lip just a split in the middle of its upper gum.

I think you'll find that it is a cleft palate and it will widen as the pup grows ..someone should be along soon to advise but if I saw that on a 3 day old puppy I would suspect the worse ...good luck

I am no expert but I always thought a cleft palate was a hole in the roof of the mouth not the gumline.I have never actually seen the condition.This is not on the palate it is where the front teeth grow on the gum.The gum is joined at the top but then has a tiny split at the bottom.I haven`t actually seen this pup but she says it is feeding well and is one of the biggest pups in the litter.

It sounds like a birth defect to me. Is this puppy nursing ok? When they have defects of the mouth sometimes it can effect their nursing. Because they can't get enough suction.

Hi
Apparently the pup is doing brilliant and is one of the biggest in the litter.I thought  ar first maybe hare lip of cleft palate but its not on the roof of his mouth its like a gap in his gums right in the centre.Do yo think this will cause problems when his teeth come through.She is actually getting all the pups vet checked soon so the vet will advise.I have never seen this before.Maybe the gum will join together as the pup grows.Has anyone seen this before.

It does sound like a form of hare lip to me. Could be a mild one where it's just effecting the soft tissue of the lip itself. Glad the puppies doing well. He will make a good pet for someone.

hi
what exactly does a hare lip look like as I have never seen one

What breed is the puppy?  I had one once (a boxer) with a split gum between the top two front teeth.  There was no cleft palate, and the pup fed and grew in the nest.  The only difference when she grew up was that the nasolabial line was slightly open at the end just over the mouth, but you had to pull it apart with your fingers to notice it.  She is now 5 years old and completely healthy, as the owner keeps in touch. 

Hi
My friends pups is a boxer.What this pup has looks as exactly as you have just described.I actually seen the pup last night.The gap is where his 2 front teeth will be.I was wondering will the teeth grow ok.The gum is joined at the top but then comes apart  at the bottom.Is it very noticeable as the teeth grow.
thanks Louise

The teeth came through fine in the pup I bred.  It wasn't noticeable at all - the new owner pointed it out to her vet, but only because I had pointed it out to her.  Neither would have noticed otherwise.  Although I have had photos of her as an adult, she lives quite a distance away so I haven't seen her in the flesh.  She looks completely normal though. 

so do you think this is maybe just a birth defect and do you know is the gap is more noticeable as the pup grows
thanks Louise

I don't know if it is maybe a very very minor harelip. The fact that the nasolabial line was very slightly unjoined right at the bottom made me think it might have been.  The gap between the teeth wasn't noticeable at all as the pup grew because the upper lip hid the top row of teeth completely - as it always does.  You know the trouble a judge has trying to look at the top row of teeth in a boxer!! 

I think it was only because my litters are born in the sitting room, and I spend hours handling the pups that I noticed it at all.  I can imagine if they were born outside in a breeding shed then the pup would only have been examined if it had failed to thrive. 

Thank you very much for all your help pjw,my friend feels alot better now