Hernias The Reality , The Misconceptions and The Facts ! What is a hernia ? Umbilical: occurs at the belly button; can be caused by a dam being too rough with cord care Incisional : occurs through an incision or scar in the abdomen; can happen to dams after a C-section Inguinal: occurs in the inner groin Femoral: occurs in the upper thigh/outer groin Ventral: occurs in the general abdominal/ventral wall Hiatal occurs inside the abdomen, along the upper stomach/diaphragm All Hernias we have ever discovered have been examined by a vet , if surgery is required it is usually done during castration or spaying. Most small hernias are no danger to your pet’s health Some may close before the animal reaches maturity; therefore, no treatment is necessary There are two causes of Umbilical Hernias. One cause is the mother pulling on the umbilical cord too roughly when the puppies are being whelped. The other cause is genetic, with the constricting ring at the entrance of the umbilical cord closing incompletely. This can be easily corrected by surgery The mode of inheritance is unclear, however appears that it may be a dominant trait. Dogs and cats with umbilical hernias have a soft , painless swelling or bulge over their belly button. The swelling may come and go depending on the pet’s position and how much it has eaten. Small umbilical hernias contain nothing but a fatty veil we all share called omemtum which normally covers the intestines. Small umbilical hernias are not serious and sometimes close by themselves as the young pet grows.. In male dogs I repair them when the pet is 12-18 weeks of age . An umbilical hernia is caused by the incomplete closure of the umbilical ring after birth. The hernia generally appears as a soft swelling beneath the skin and it often protrudes when the puppy is standing, barking, crying, or straining. An umbilical hernia can vary in size from less than a quarter-inch (1-cm) to more than an inch (2.5-cm) in diameter. Small (less than ¼ inch or 1-cm) hernias may close spontaneously (without treatment) by age 3 to 4 months. Umbilical hernias that do not close may require surgery, especially if a portion of an intestinal organ protrudes through it. Umbilical hernias are usually painless. The exact incidence and cause is unknown. Certain family lines have a higher incidence of umbilical hernias suggesting at least a partial genetic predisposition to the condition. Most umbilical hernias pose no health threats. The difference being True hernias are INDEED highly inheritable, whereas delayed closures are not.Ie if True hernia dont breed from! For an owner or breeder its a good idea to try to reduce the hernia/delayed closure turning the puppy on its back and gently massage thebubbleback up into the abdomen. I have known breeders to use a cork wine stopper and place ove the bubble wrap over with bandage and reduce that way. Mst vets will these days advise just leaving alone or gently massaging back into abdomen on a daily basis. This lowers the risk of theintestine becoming strangulated in the protruding tissue. If the hernia is a closure defect, the normal process of closing will continue, and at some point a small amount of omentum may be entrapped in a bubble outside the essentially closed body wall. This is viewed by most people as a hernia, and a serious problem. While the puppy is younger, it may not be clear. The very tiny holes with a small bubble of omentum do not require surgery. Slightly larger holes should be closed to be sure that no intestine becomes strangulated in the process of closure, adelayed closure can ever close completely simply because there is something sticking through it. If there were no omentum sliding out, they would continue to close normally. What they do, is they close tightly around the omentum, trapping it outside in an absolutely firm unchanging bubble.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 10:20:15 +0000
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