Postoperative course following maxillary canine extraction in dogs with advanced periodontal disease without flap closure: A descriptive case series

Abstract Maxillary canine extraction in dogs with advanced periodontal disease carries a risk of oronasal fistula formation, and flap‐based primary closure is generally recommended. In a limited subset of cases, however, intraoperative assessment confirms the absence of oronasal communication. This descriptive case series reports the short‐term postoperative course of four dogs undergoing maxillary canine extraction in which healing occurred without flap closure. Follow‐up ranged from 18 to 45 days. No dogs developed clinical signs of oronasal fistula or required additional surgical intervention. Mild socket depression was observed at earlier recheck examinations, whereas a flat mucosal contour was observed at 45 days postoperatively. These cases describe postoperative outcomes in carefully selected dogs and should not be interpreted as evidence supporting this approach as an alternative to standard flap‐based primary closure.