Wry Nose

Wry nose, or campylorrhinus lateralis, is a major congenital deformity resulting in varying degrees of lateral deviation of the rostral face (premaxilla and maxilla) to the dysplastic side. Mild cases suffer no adverse effects however severe cases have nasal septal deviation and nasal occlusion. Facial reconstruction can be performed in milder cases severe cases with nasal obstruction are usually euthanased at an early age.

The pictures below are of our filly born early this season.
She was also born with a cleft palette.

Deviated rostral maxilla and associated nasal septal deviation, is a congenital deformity in the horse (he is born with it). There is no good evidence that wry nose in the horse is heritable (has a genetic predisposition). No one really knows what causes it, but as with other congenital deformities, it might result from malpositioning in the uterus. Wry-nosed foals might result in dystocia (difficult foaling), and can also have other deformities of the neck and occasionally of the limbs. It is not common--although we can't really name an exact percentage of affected foals.

A foal with wry nose will have the upper jaw and nose deviated or turned to one side. A deviated nasal septum (the cartilage plate that separates the right and left nasal passageways) is also usually present, which results in obstruction of the airway and difficulty breathing. This is the greatest functional concern with wry nose. There will usually be malocclusion (poor alignment) of the teeth, although most foals can still nurse and in most cases are bright and active.

Very mild cases of wry nose might resolve on their own with time. More severe deviations will need to be treated surgically. Radiographs of the head will help the veterinarian assess the severity and recommend treatment options.

Surgical correction is generally undertaken in multiple stages. This type of reconstructive surgery is expensive and requires significant aftercare. Although the objective of the surgery is usually to make the horse capable of being an athlete, unfortunately, neither the functional or cosmetic outcome can be guaranteed.

mild to moderate wry nose (laterally deviated rostral maxilla). He has no problem eating or drinking or breathing. His lower jaw is "normal" his upper jaw deviates to the left. He is seen 4x a year by an equine dentist while his upper jaw is growing. So far, it looks like he will have no problem carrying (and responding to) a bit... 

FOAL CARE

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