Puppy Hernia

Hi Roxy,

A hernia, provided it isn´t too bad, shouldn´t cause your pup problems. However, if it hasn´t healed by the time he is a year old you will need to have it surgically repaired. The most important thing is not to breed from this pup as hernias can pass to offsrping and often become worse.

A hernia is a gap in the muscle, but not in the skin, through which the abdominal contents can escape and form a lump under the skin. They most commonly occur where the belly button is ( it sounds like this is where the one on your pup is) but can be in the groin as well. Usually they don´t cause any problems as they tend to be small and only small pieces of fat poke through. However, if they are larger then sometimes the guts can come through and this can be painful. Some hernias will close on their own and one of the best things you can do is to gently massage it every day. This will push the fat back into the abdomen and encourage the hole to close. If it is still there when he is about a year then I would advise surgery to close it, if it is large then your vet may suggest doing it sooner than that.

When you take the pup to the vets for his check-up, ask them to examine it and see what they say.

Cat