Can a puppy umbilical hernia be prevented?

Answer 1

Some pups are born with an 'open' hernia, which in lay terms means that there is an opening in the muscle wall of the abdomen thru which some of the intestines have emerged. This is a situation that must be dealt with IMMEDIATELY by a licensed veterinarian. Some pups are born, have the umbilical cord severed by the 'dam' or 'mother', and she may shred the cord too close or too roughly, resulting in a small portion of the muscle wall being weakened and the intestines may try to push thru this small weakened spot, but they are still enclosed in the pup's body. A licensed veterinarian should examine these types of umbilical hernias and recommend what action to take and when to do it. Some pups are born completely normal, have the umbilical cord cut either by the veterinarian at a C section or by the breeder, the umbilical stump falls off normally, and yet a small bubble-like protrusion at the point of the umbilical attachment can be seen or felt. Again, in these cases the muscle wall has a weakness, the intestines may push outward against the skin. These hernias will feel squishy, soft to the touch. A licensed veterinarian should be consulted about these hernias. Some will resolve themselves by 6 months of age and others will require surgical 'closure.' Ethical breeders will keep records of the occurrence of traits like these to make sure that there is not a 'family tendency' toward this characteristic. In some breeds of dogs and in some families within those breeds, this characteristic 'may' repeat itself. In other families and other breeds it does not. Check with your purebred dog's registry to see IF having an umbilical hernia surgically corrected will prevent it from competing in Conformation Shows if this is your intent when purchasing the puppy. When in doubt, consult your veterinarian. In each of the cases described above, the answer to the question is NO, umbilical hernia can not be prevented.