HERNIAS
Four common types found in dogs
UMBILICAL HERNIAS
these occur midline of the dog's stomach location of the umbilicus, (or belly button). These can result from truma to the muscle wall when the bitch severs the umbilical cord after birth. Umbilical hernias pose no real health problem, since fatty tissue is usually the only item that ever protrudes through the opening. . These hernias can be repaired at the time of elective surgeries such as spaying or neutering .
INGUINAL HERNIAS
Occurs in the region where the adominal musculature meets the back legs. They are classified as birth defects or secondary to truma. They are more serious then umbilical hernias, since the herniated material includes intestines. This can cause normal digestive processes to be dis rupted. Treatment involves surgery to place the herniated material back inside atbe abdomen and suturing the defective muscle.
PERINEAL HERNIAS
This results from a weakening of the musculature located beneath the tail on either side of the anus. This usually happens in older male dogs who have not been neutered These can involve portions of the colon , cause impactions and elimination problems if not surgically corrected. Neutering males is recommended because hormone testosterone seems to play a large part in causing this problem.
DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA
This hernia is by far the most serious. The diaphragm is the thick wall of muscle separating the throax or chest cavity from the abdominal contents. Ruptures or tears in this band of muscle, resulting from either traumatic incidents or from congenital defects, can allow liver, intestines, and other abomonal contents to herniate through into the chest cavity. When this happens, the pressure applied to the organs such as crowed lungs and heart in breathing difficulties, weakness , and can cause gastrointestinal problems.
A veterinary dignosis of a diaphragmatic hernia will be made on clinical signs, physical examination with radiographic x-ray findings and do surgical repair on the torn doaphragm this will alleviate the problem and usually results in a complete recovery of the dog.