Middle ear disease associated with congenital palatine defects in seven dogs and one cat

Medical records of eight dogs and one cat with congenital palatine defects were reviewed retrospectively. Five of the dogs had nasal discharge and sev en had radiographic signs of middle ear disease, but no clinical signs of e ar disease were identified in any of the dogs, nor were any reported by the ir owners during a one- to five-year follow-up period. One dog had an ipsil ateral impairment of hearing detected by brainstem auditory evoked response s. The cat had clinical and radiographic signs of middle ear disease. These findings suggest that, as in humans, congenital palatine defects in dogs a nd cats may predispose to middle ear disease. Any associated deafness could cause problems for working dogs.