**5. Final considerations**

Always bearing in mind that greater knowledge results in a correct diagnosis, suitable management of each case, and definition of criteria that give consistency to guidelines for prevention of CLP, the first step to expand knowledge is appropriate details when publishing new canine cases, using one of the classifications established in human medicine. This will facilitate international communication between professionals from the different fields in question.

Breeds, lineages, or families of dogs in which CLP occurs more frequently are a valuable source of information on the molecular biology and genetics of oral clefts. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with genotyping using arrays based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are powerful means for mapping of regions of interest. The current technologies of next-generation sequencing (NGS), with increasingly robust platforms and increasingly expanded panels, facilitate the identification of candidate genes, allowing studies that confirm the role of these genes in the etiology of oral clefts.

It should also be remembered that a chromosomal analysis in syndromic cases should be routine. Analyses with fluorescence *in situ* hybridization (FISH) and comparative genomic hybridization (GCH) may identify chromosomal aberrations and describe new syndromes, as well as establishing a correlation with human syndromes.

An interface of knowledge on human and canine species opens up new paths in both veterinary and human medicine. This promotes quality and more humane and competent clinical practice. It is also clearly reflected in the fields of genetics, developmental biology, and evolutionary biology.
