Rescue Puppy With 'Extra Big Smile' Due to Cleft Lip Finds Forever Home

A rescue puppy born with a cleft lip is loving life in her forever home, with her smile melting hearts online.

"Rosie is so special and we are so lucky that we get to be her parents," her owner Lacey, 29, told Newsweek. "She brings smiles to everyone's faces and also helps to spread awareness."

Lacey and her partner Matt, 28, adopted the golden retriever from a shelter that specializes in finding homes for dogs with cleft lips and palates.

"It was love at first sight," Lacey said. "When we stumbled upon the post for adoption, we literally felt called to put in an application for her.

"We knew that we could give her the life that she deserved."

A cleft lip is a congenital condition caused by the lips or bones in the upper mouth not forming properly in the womb, while a cleft palate is a similar condition that leaves an opening in the roof of the mouth.

"It is usually an inherited birth defect passed on from the mother or father," Preston Turano, a veterinarian and AKC Pet Insurance spokesperson, told Newsweek.

"But certain medications can cause the defect if given during pregnancy."

Cleft lips and palates can cause a range of issues, from difficulty nursing or eating and the possibility of aspiration pneumonia, where food and drink is accidentally inhaled into the lungs.

However, the risks depend on the severity of the condition. While some dogs will have no issues, others will need surgery to repair the cleft lip or palate.

"Dogs that have an opening in the mouth to the nasal passage will need surgery," Turano said.

"But the prognosis is good if it only involves the lip, as there is no opening from the mouth to the nasal passage."

Rosie was not the only puppy in the litter born with a cleft lip, with her brother also sharing the condition. At the moment, Lacey and Matt are not considering surgery, unless the issue begins to affect her quality of life.

"The vet said that it makes her smile extra big," Lacey said. "We will see specialists in the future to make sure she doesn't have any health concerns, but as of now we take all the precautions that we need to.

"However, there is a chance that she may need a few teeth pulled, but we are waiting to see how all of her adult teeth grow in first."

Describing her as "the best puppy," Lacey said that Rosie loves to give people kisses and "boop" them with her big front tooth.

"She is always keeping us laughing," she said. "Our goal is to get her to be a certified therapy dog so she can continue to bring happiness to people at times when they need it most."

Lacey posted footage of Rosie's trip home from the shelter to her TikTok account @leadthewayranger. Lounging in the back seat of the car, the adorable pup took over the video-sharing platform, with the clip receiving 1.8 million views.

"Oh my heart," said Haley Oram.

"She's beautiful," commented sk85aa.

"So stinking cute!" agreed Bert + kash Creations.

"Is that a teeny tooth omg," said Iflournoy12.

"Is that an angel?" asked Elias82.

"Perfection!!" wrote Sharmaine Acosta.

"Beautiful little golden nugget," said Vanessa. "God bless her in every life time."

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