Dog Hernias

Dog Hernias

A hernia is a protrusion of tissue, an organ, or organs through a normal or abnormal opening. Hernias occur commonly in dogs and are a hereditary tendency.

The most common hernia is located at the navel and is called an umbilical hernia. Some people wrongly claim this to be caused by the mother chewing the umbilical cord too close to the abdomen. Umbilical hernias usually contain merely a small bleb of fat. In human infants, they are commonly corrected by special bandages, but bandages do not work for a creature that walks on all fours with gravity exerting con-st ant abdominal pressure. If in a young puppy, the bleb of fat can be returned to the abdomen with digital pressure this may be done twice ad ay until the opening in the abdomen closes and the problem is resolved. However, it is rarely much of a problem since even with an opening large enough to insert one’s thumb into the bulge is only unsightly. Surgical correction should be performed on the larger umbilical hernias in females that are to be bred. If your veterinarian suggests it, have the hernia corrected during the spaying operations.

Inguinal hernias are more serious. Located in the groin, they tend to enlarge over the years until there is an ever-present danger of a loop of the intestine becoming trapped in the hernia sack, resulting in a condition known as hernia strangulation. Immediate surgical correction is imperative in such a situation and, of course, this type of hernia should be corrected before a life-threatening condition arises.

Scrotal hernias, rare in our experience, appear to be an inherited defect and require surgery if only for the comfort of the pet.

Perineal hernias, more common in males, are observed as bulges next to the anus. They may make the dog appear to be straining excessively when defecating. If these hernias are not treated by a veterinarian in the early stages, extensive surgery is required. In our practice, about half the males diagnosed as having perineal hernias respond instead to castration and require no further surgery. Invariably the prostate gland is enlarged, causing excessive straining in a futile attempt to pass it with stool. Castration results in a shrinking or atrophy of the prostate gland.

Diaphragmatic Hernias. The thins hectoliter muscle that separates the chest and the abdominal cavities are called the diaphragm. When this muscle tears, as it may from an injury, a sonic of the abdominal organs may be drawn into the chest or thoracic cavity.

More often the dog has shallow breathing and vomiting. To establish a positive diagnosis radiographs must be studied to locate the problem. Surgery is necessary to correct it.

Prolapsed Rectum. It is not uncommon to find a pet that from long, continued straining at stool has suffered a prolapse of the lower bowel. The name is not as accurate as it might be since the dog’s rectum is only one-half to three-quarters of an inch long. The straining may have been caused by either constipation or laxatives, improper diet, foreign objects, tumors, infections, or by infestations. The cause must be established and corrected.

The tissue is returned to the abdominal cavity and a purse-string suture is applied to prevent a recurrence. The suture is removed someday later.

See more: Dog Hip Dysphasia