My kitten has a hernia. When can she safely get surgery to fix it?

Unfortunately fixing a chronic diaphragmatic hernia can also have some potential complications since scar tissue can form in the lungs and edema can develop following surgery. If the hernia is still present however anesthesia could be risky. I would recommend rechecking with your vet and having x-rays repeated. If the hernia is still present you can discuss surgery. I would think that a spay at the same time would be reasonable as long as anesthesia is going well since a hernia is fixed through an abdominal incision as well.

Sorry....hernias can be repaired during a spay procedure, but since she is spayed already, you can either have her anesthetized again or wait for her next anesthetic procedure to have it repaired (if your vet determines that it can wait).

A hernia is essentially a loop of intestine (variable in size) which protrudes through a defect in the abdominal wall. A spay is done by opening the abdomen (aka, belly) by cutting between muscle layers beneath the skin. If the layers do not meet when the incision is closed, intestine can protrude. Depending on the size of the hernia and if the tissue can be pushed back into the abdomen, surgery may or may not be required to correct the defect. I recommend keeping a close eye on Kurisu to make sure she does not lose her appetite, develop diarrhea or begin vomiting; as these may be a sign of intestinal constriction. I recommend keeping her diet constant, and avoiding giving any human food which may upset her stomach. I hope this helps and that all is well!

The problem with hernias is that the internal organs can become twisted and cut off blood supply. That is very painful and will lead to death. This is something that needs to be fixed with surgery. Depending on the severity of the hernia, it may be an easy fix and not a risky surgery. Only the vet treating Flash can tell you if it's risky or not. I hope this helps!

Poor Nali! It could be that the hernia opened up more, and there is more fat, tissue, and or organs in it causing it be to larger. Without seeing it in person, I can't say for sure it's a life or death situation, but there is the potential for it to be one if there are intestines in the hernia. Those could become strangled, cutting off blood supply, and killing off intestinal tissues. That situation is life or death. Because she seems like she is in pain, I think getting her checked out now to be safe is the best idea. She may not need surgery right away if it's just fat in the hernia, but if it is intestines, then she will need surgery.

Jacqui is so cute! She can be spayed as long as she is two pounds in weight. If she's small, it's fine to wait until she is three or four months old, but I would get it done before she is six months old. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If she hasn't been spayed yet she should be able to still have kittens. Her breed is only a problem if she or the male cat has large skulls that they may not pass in the birth canal. It is not too early to spay her, in fact I usually recommend spaying at 6months. The more heat cycles so goes through the more at risk she is for mammary and uterine cancers as she ages. My recommendation is to spay her soon. Good luck and kisses to Sussie!