This precious girl was born with a cleft lip — her palate, luckily, was unaffected.

While her condition meant she couldn’t nurse from her mom like the rest of the litter, it could have been much more complicated. Puppies nurse by creating suction with their mouths, and because her lip couldn’t form a proper seal, she couldn’t generate the vacuum needed to suckle.

If her palate had also been cleft, milk could have entered her nasal passages, making feeding not only more difficult but also dangerous due to the risk of aspiration and infections. Thankfully, we only had to overcome the challenge of her lip. I tube-fed and bottle-fed her around the clock until she was strong enough to eat on her own.

She had the most beautiful eyes from day one, and today she’s a happy, healthy adult with the same soulful expression that melts hearts. 💗

Every life is worth the extra effort. 🐾

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