There are two types of hernias - 1) umbilical cord hernia, usually caused by Mom chewing the cord to short in the middle of the belly. The others are called inguinal hernias and are on either side of the vulva (female part). There can be one (unilateral inguinal hernia) on either side of the vulva or two (bilateral inguinal hernia) on both sides of the vulva. Smaller hernias can close on their own and a large percentage do.
A hernia is basically a hole in the stomach lining that allows the bowel to protrude under the skin, but outside of the abdominal wall. The danger is if they become strangulated (twisted) and lose blood supply then you have an emergency situation on your hands. Most can be left until the time of spay (6 months) so you only have to go through one anesthesia so of course it would be cheaper to do it at the same time as the spay. Just watch it closely, it should not look red or inflamed or feel hot to the touch. If the dog begins vomiting or the area is tender then you will have to have it repaired before spay. If it is unusually large the vet may not recommend waiting.
Inguinal hernias are usually (if not always) considered hereditary and can be passed to offspring. Umbilical hernias are probably not genetic, just simply the Mom not being very skilled in chewing the cord and chewing it too close. That is why most breeders handle this themselves, but sometimes the Mom's will go back and chew it some more. |