Soft Palate

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Introduction

The soft palate (velum palatine) is located caudally to the hard palate. It is comprised of muscle and is involved in tasting food and in deglutition.

Functional Anatomy

• Muscle

• Contacts epiglottis caudally

• Very folded mucosa

Histology

• Respiratory mucosa- ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium

• Palatine salivary glands

Species Differences

• Soft palate does not contact the epiglottis in the pig as the porcine soft palate is raised higher in the oral cavity than in other species

• Horses have a tight laryngeal cuff around the laryngeal entrance therefore cannot lift their soft palate for long periods of time and thus are nasal breathers

• As brachiocephalic dog breeds have a shortened skull length, the soft palate often obstruct air flow into the larynx causing breathing difficulties