Are blood vessels a concern during my dog's perineal hernia surgery?

Perineal surgery is extremely difficult due to the abnormal/stretched anatomy and narrow safety margins to avoid major nerves and blood vessels. As the muscles and nerves have been stretched and displaced, normal outline and normal healing is unpredictable and outcomes are not certain. Infection of the surgical site is a significant risk also and many patients which develop hernias also have additional complicating factors with regards to anesthetic safety also. Recovery is slow, painful and often incomplete and such a surgery should never be undertaken lightly. I am sure your vet would have considered all possible risks and outcomes in assessing his case

This will depend on the size and extent of the hernia as the surgeon needs to be able to visualize the entire defect in order to close it. So the easiest way to find out would be to ask the veterinarian who diagnosed the hernia.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The perineal hernia will not correct by itself, it will not get better after castration either. It may stay as a small hernia and you will never have to do anything about it, but it may get bigger and you may have to get it fixed surgically. It is not an emergency as long as Bodie is going to the toilet without any difficulties. There is not much that you can do to prevent it. You have to avoid constipation, and his diet should be rich in fibre.

Yes, I would recommend at the least having Dino neutered. Perianal hernias are almost always due to increased testosterone levels which weakens the muscle of the pelvic floor. Neutering would help prevent further damage to these muscles but would not reverse the problem. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dino. I am guessing you are referring to a perineal hernia based on your description. You can attempt to manage him with a high fiber diet with extra moisture such as adding canned food or water to the dry food. He will likely need a prescription stool softener as well. In my experience, this will help, but I still find the dog will need surgery. When the dog requires repeated enemas or manual evacuation of the feces by the veterinarian, you will know medical management is not working. I have also seen a rectal prolapse from the dog straining to defecate. Neutering will helps as well with hernia repair. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Nidjie! If Nidjie is healthy and his blood work looks good then I think it is fine to have another surgery. Inguinal hernias can be a trickier hernia to repair and the surgery could fail. The odds are more in favor of it succeeding. I would ask your Veterinarian, performing the surgery, what their success rates are for this particular hernia. I hope this helps and I wish Nidjie the best!

Yes, it is important to have surgery done on this because if left untreated, it can be serious. A loop of intestine can become entrapped in this hernia, which will make the dog very sick. Puchku should have this fixed, and I would have it done when you have him neutered (if he isn't already neutered). Because umbilical hernias are hereditary, dogs with them should never be bred. Best of luck.