Umbilical hernia
This is also called the navel hernia. We had already defined a hernia as a displacement of an organ or a part of an organ so that it protrudes through the walls of its containing cavity. Often people use the word hernia to simply mean rupture. In the case of the umbilical hernia the ‘organ’ that is protruding in the navel area is part of the gut (intestines) and its surrounding structures. It is quite easily seen as a bulge at the bottom of the abdomen of the puppy or kitten (or adult). Usually the umbilical hernia is seen in the young pup or kitten when the animal is only a few weeks old.
The intestines can be pushed back through the hole in the abdominal wall. There is a muscle ring surrounding the hole. Later on, in the young puppies, the muscle ring usually closes and there is no more protrusion of the internal organs.
Often the puppy is presented to us veterinarians in the clinic all wrapped up in bandages. The owners feel that a plaster or a bandage can keep the organs from bulging out. This doesn’t work, or course. The owner of a pup with a hernia must keep a close eye on the development of the rupture. Do the repositioned organs continue to bulge out? Is the hole (rupture) getting larger?
If, the muscle ring gets smaller and incarcerates a portion of the intestines, then these parts will be starved of blood and will therefore die. On the other hand, if the rupture is too big then more and more portions of the internal organs will protrude through the rupture.
Both of these cases represent a scenario that can result in death. The question is not whether surgery must be done, but when. If we close the opening surgically when the animal is too young, then the abdominal muscles may not be strong enough to hold the stitches and another rupture may occur. On the other hand, if we leave the hole in the abdominal wall too long, the rupture could get larger. The decision relative to the timing of the operation will be made by your veterinary surgeon.
Inguinal hernia
This type of hernia takes place in the groin area. In the male there is a passage between the abdomen and scrotal sac. If a portion of the contents of the abdomen finds itself in this passage (we can actually see the bump, especially in young male pups), then we can speak of the true inguinal hernia. If the organs of the abdomen actually fall all the way through the inguinal passage into the scrotum, then we refer to this situation as a scrotal hernia. In the female, a part of the uterus may occasionally come down through the inguinal canal.
A very visible bulge can be seen in the groin. Usually, this type of hernia in the bitch appears when she is getting on in age, or when she is bred.
Inguinal or scrotal forms of a hernia may be either congenital (inherited) or acquired. The congenital form exhibits itself mostly in puppies. The acquired form is most common in adults as a result of some mechanical trauma (I love this phrase which usually means a conscious kick or a lash or an inadvertent hit). The force of a kick is a mechanical trauma which can precipitate an inguinal (or other types of) hernia. Simply slipping sideways or a fall can also create an inguinal/scrotal hernia. In some cases, if the testicles are large and heavy (especially after vigorous copulation), that might be enough to stretch the inguinal canal so that abdominal content can fall into the scrotal sac.
Enough for today.
Please implement disease preventative measures (vaccinations, routine dewormings, monthly anti-heartworm medication, etc) and adopt-a-pet from the GSPCA’s Animal Clinic and Shelter at Robb Street and Orange Walk, if you have the wherewithal to care well for the animals. Do not stray your unwanted pets, take them to the GSPCA’s Clinic and Shelter instead. If you see anyone being cruel to an animal, or if you need any technical information, please get in touch with the Clinic and Shelter by calling 226-4237.
