MY STAFFY HAD HER FIRST LITTER ON TUESDAY 7th JUNE SHE HAD 7 PUPPIES 1 DIED THAT NIGHT AND 1 WAS BORN WITH A HARELIP/CLEFT PALATE,
I HAD A COUPLE OF STITCHES PUT IN WHEN HE WAS 2 DAYS THEN THAT NIGHT THEY CAME OUT SO I WHEN BACK TO VET AND HE PUT IN SOME MORE THEY LASTED 2 DAYS, AS THEY HAVE COME OUT AGAIN I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFORMATION TO HELP, MAYBE SOMEONE WHO HAS ACTUALLY BEEN THROUGH IT , WE WOULD BE REALLY GREATFUL FOR ANY ADVICE, I AM HAND FEEDING PUPPY 2HOURLY AND SOMETIMES PUTTING ON MUM (BUT HAVE TO HOLD THERE AS TO KEEP SUCTION)
CHEERS
SANDRA

According to all I've read, puppies with this condition often have other things wrong with them, and it's generally considered most humane to put them to sleep.

Are you8 planning on keeping this puppy yourself?  As has already been said it would be besat to have it put to sleep as this condition is often associated with other problems,a dn increases the riks of infections and lung problems when milk is getting into the lungs.  It really is not fair to rear physically imperfect (conditions that impact on their viability) pups

if a bitch has a litter with one pup having cleft palette is it likely she will go on to have another litter with this condition?

It does seem that folic acid supplemetation has a positive effect in helping to prevent this condition from reoccuring.  This would suggest that the breeds where thsi occusrs more often or indivisulas who produce this problem perhaps have a slight metabolic problem with this nutrient.  I woudl think a similar situation to Calcium depletion causing Eclampsia.

The answer to your questionis tyhat no one really knows.  Your case may be fluke or it may point to a higher level of inheritance for this.  If she is a good brood who is vital for yur breeding plans then I would try again, with Folic acid supplementation, but would avoid using the same stud, just in case that particular combination doesn't work well for soem reason.

Sandra,
I went through almost the exact same thing. Our puppies are 6 weeks old tomorrow and we have a puppy with a cleft palate. No harelip though.
We discussed it thoroughly with our vet, who said that it wasn't such  a severe cleft and that there is an operation available to correct it when the puppy is strong enough.(8-12 weeks)
We decided to give it a go, feeling that we brought her into the world and should help her as much as poss.
It hasn't been easy, and in hindsight, perhaps we wouldn't do it again, but we have and as long as she keeps improving then we are with her 100% of the way.
She is, of course, much smaller than her brothers and sisters, but many people have puppies much smaller than the litter mates.
We intend to keep her, did not kc register her and are aware that we are taking things one day at a time, it could all go horribly wrong tomorrow, BUT she is such a cutey, she was the first one up on her feet,and  the first one to find her way out of the whelping box!! In other ways she seems slightly behind the others, barking for instance, this took her over a week later to do than the others, but when she did, it brought tears to my eyes!!
We introduced her to solids at two weeks and coped really well til last friday when she got a lump of biscuit stuck, this frightened us more than her, so now we liquidise her biscuits and meat and bottle feed her.
Only you can make a decision, based on advice from your vet and the stud owner. It's been a long haul for us, but every time we look at Honey,we are convinced we are doing the right thing by her. The vet has assured us that she is in no pain-if she was we wouldn't do it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do,
Susy

Having seen the difficulties my freinds little girl had with a cleft palate (no cleft) is why I don't personally beleive in keeping puppies with this condition.  She did have terrible trouble keeping her weight up and feeding.  Even now as an older child she has associated problems, is very prone to chest complaints etc.

I understand what you are saying, but your friend wouldn't have had her baby pts would she? I am of the opinion and I may be in the minority that where there is life, there is hope. Of course we all wish that things could have been different. No doubt your friend would have gone to the end of the Earth and back to help her baby, and I feel no different about my puppy. However perhaps Lady luck is on my side (for once!) and our puppy has had no associated chest/lung problems to date. That is not to say that she won't in the future, and we will cross that bridge when and if we come to it. I will not make her suffer, if her condition deteriorates,then I will not just keep her alive because its so hard to let her go, if you know what I mean?!

Thank-you for your responses,
I was feeding the same pup this morning and noticed that oe of his eyes were bulging any ideas what that could be??????

Cheers Sandra

Other common defects in puppies with cleft palates/harelips is hydrocephalus, also known as water on the brain. Does your puppy have a bigger/ different shaped head than the others?
Puppies with this condition have difficulty with their co-ordination, and if the problem is very severe, they cannot even lift their heads. Check the puppies fontanelle, those with this condition don't close like other puppies.
Ask your vet to have another look ( if he hasn't already done so), but I'm afraid that the future doesn't look very bright for your puppy. Good luck,

Susy

Genegenie? you suggested folic acid supplemetation  would i give the tablets sold for pregnant women or do dogs have to have something for canines only??

I think it was Brainless who suggested folic acid ...

opps sorry so it was :D