Inguinal hernia in a dog
Several types of hernias, namely diaphragmatic, hiatal, umbilical, inguinal and perineal are recognized in dogs. It is either a congenital condition or it occur secondary to a trauma during harsh physical activities. They occur in different parts of the body causing common symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, drooling, swelling in the area of the hernia and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. If a hernia is suspected in a dog, a veterinarian should be visited. Hernias can turn into a life-threatening situation if the organs penetrating the muscle get strangled and lose their blood supply.
Usually, a diagnosis is made during a precise physical examination, in which any protrusion and/or swelling will look suspicious. In addition, an X-rays may be taken or an ultrasound may be performed to confirm the diagnosis of a hernia and evaluate its severity. A blood work may aid to assess the patient health and rule out other possible conditions.
Much like humans, dogs can suffer from hernias. An inguinal hernia is a condition in which the abdominal contents protrude through the inguinal canal or inguinal ring, an opening which occurs in the muscle wall, in the groin area. The groin is defined as where the dog's hind leg attaches to their body. In other words, the inguinal canal is an opening of the muscle wall in a dog’s groin, which exists in order for blood vessels and the spermatic cord pass to the testicles in male dogs and for the vaginal process to pass through for female dogs. An inguinal hernia occurs when the opening of the inguinal canal widens, allowing abdominal contents to bulge out of or pass through.
This type of hernia is more common in pregnant dogs, but it can also be caused by trauma. Although not the sole cause, inguinal hernias can have a genetic component and are most commonly found in the Pekinese, Basset Hound, Cairn Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Miniature Pinscher, Lhasa Apso, English Springer Spaniel, Collie, Bull Terrier, Australian Cattle Dog, Pomeranian, Maltese, West Highland Terrier and Basenji breeds.
Types:
·???????Reducible
Typically smaller in size, a reducible inguinal hernia is one in which the protrusion is simply abdominal lining or fat and may safely be pushed back into the abdomen by a veterinarian. In the majority of cases, the only symptom displayed is swelling of the site itself.
·??????Irreducible
An irreducible inguinal hernia is one in which part of one or more abdominal organs are protruding from the opening. If your dog exhibits symptoms beyond swelling at the site, it may be indicative of an irreducible hernia. This type of an inguinal hernia is more severe, as the affected organ(s) involved may become entrapped, compromising their function. In severe cases, blood flow may be completely cut-off from an organ, leading to tissue death. This is known as organ strangulation.
?How serious it can be? .... Most inguinal hernias are uncomplicated and cause no symptoms other than a swelling in the groin area. However, if contents from the abdominal cavity (such as the bladder, a loop of intestines or the uterus) pass through the opening and become entrapped there,?the situation can become life-threatening.
The most remarkable symptom of an inguinal hernia is the protrusion itself, which appears as swelling on one or both sides of a dog’s groin and can be exacerbated by certain activities such as standing, barking or straining. However, additional symptoms correlate with severity of the condition, and they include:
Treatment..
Surgery is the only way to fix an inguinal hernia. The doctor will push the bulging tissue back inside and strengthen your abdominal wall with stitches and perhaps mesh. They might be able to do this through a small cut in your belly using a special tool, a procedure called?laparoscopy.
?Risks involved in the procedure are as follows:
1.?????Risks for anesthesia and surgery in general include:
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2.?????Risks for this surgery are:
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Case study:
Our patient was a 7-year-old stray dog found on the street with a huge scrotal sac hanging in the groin area. A thorough examination was performed under general anesthesia. An inguinal hernia was diagnosed by digital palpation during the physical examination. Ultrasound survey confirmed an inguinal hernia with the contents being small intestine and abdominal fat in this male dog.
The dog was prepared for the surgery. In preparation, the patient was initially fasted for 12 hours, however, water is not necessarily with held. A pain management program including a combination of general anesthesia, injectable analgesics, and oral analgesics, during surgery and also after the surgery, was followed to keep the companion comfortable.
The condition was corrected by suturing the abdominal muscles together along the edges of the hernial ring. By 10 to 14 days after the surgery most of the swelling at the level of the surgery was resolved. It should be noted that some pets will develop a seroma over the surgical site as a surgical complication and may look like the hernia has recurred; this swelling generally resolves over a period of 3 to 4 weeks. By 6 to 8 weeks after surgery, complete healing has taken place.