Your Dog and Hernias

When there is a fault or weakness in the wall of the muscle a hernia can develop. When a hernia is present there is a bulging of the surface, which is filled with tissue or an organ, many times part of the intestine. There are different types of hernias found in dogs, and some are more serious than others.

While there are different types of hernias, umbilical hernias are the most common. Umbilical hernias develop around the stomach in the region of the belly button as their name implies. The umbilical hernia is generally not a serious hernia as it mainly consists of fatty tissue, which protrudes. Both male as well as female dogs can have an umbilical hernia.

However, if the umbilical hernia becomes very enlarged, the intestine may be involved thus, complications may occur such as blood circulation being cut off. When this happens the situation becomes serious as part of the intestine may die without sufficient blood supply. When this unusual occurrence takes place it is an emergency as death could result.

When a dog develops an umbilical hernia, this is a condition, which is usually hereditary. The Pekingese, Airedale, and Basenji, commonly have umbilical hernias. Puppies can have umbilical hernias as well. When a puppy has an umbilical hernia, many times the hernia may correct itself by the age of six months. When a puppy has an umbilical hernia, lots of vets will simply close this at the same time the dog is being neutered or spayed.