My 9-week puppy has a hernia, cough, and is lethargic. What's wrong?

Hernia’s generally never heal on their own. Depending on the size of the hernia (the larger the more urgent) and whether or not the bulge can be pushed back into the abdomen (if a loop of intestines can come through, Vs just abdominal fat …it is at risk of getting twisted and dying/strangulating) your vet may recommend an emergency hernia repair or repair it at the time of her spay (recommended to prevent pyometra). Getting the hernia palapated/examined by your vet at Minnie’s vaccine appointments is recommended. Congratulations on your new puppy!

Hi there! Harley needs to have a wellness visit with your veterinarian who, depending on the physical exam, may want to take xrays of her heart and lungs, and do blood work to evaluate her liver/kidney function. Harley could have a congenital heart or liver issue, or something going on with her upper respiratory tract. This is not likely an emergency, but something you should schedule at your earliest convenience. Hope that helps!

Have the veterinarian check this swelling at her next office visit. Generally a hernia is surgically repaired during the spay. Large hernias may have exercise restrictions. Your veterinarian will best advise you after palpating the area.

I am concerned that Goldie's umbilical hernia seems larger. If the hernia has opened up more, then the abdominal organs such as the omentum and intestines can slip through the hole, leading to strangulation of them. That would make her quite uncomfortable to sit and lie down, and pain would cause her to shake. Based on this, yes I would have Goldie see an emergency vet now.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Coco. It is common for umbilical hernias to go from reducible to non-reducible as the dog grows. I typically surgically repair it at the time of the spay. If you are not planning on spaying her, it still should be corrected. However, it is not an emergency as long as it not red, painful and she is not acting ill. Most of the time, it is just a bit of abdominal fat that slip through the opening in the abdominal wall (the hernia). The risk is if an internal organ such as a loop of intestine slips through the defect. In this case, the hernia would be painful to the touch and Coco would likely be vomiting and showing signs of pain. This is very rare though. I hope this information helps!

It could be that, hernias can cause intestinal blockage, i would recommend taking her to the vet in order to get it checked ASAP. even if this isn't the hernia, it will need to be repaired surgically sooner rather than later.

Hi there! She will need to have a check-up with your veterinarian and her first set of vaccines as soon as you get her. After that, it's fine for her to be around healthy vaccinated dogs, sign up for puppy kindergarten classes, etc. - but I would not take her dog parks or other high-traffic areas with lots of unknown dogs until she is completely finished with her vaccine series at 16+ weeks of age. Some umblical hernias are harmless and don't need to be fixed, while others do. Your veterinarian should be able to determine this at the time of her exam. If the hernia does need to be repaired, this can usually be done at the same time as her spay to avoid having to have two separate anesthetic procedures. Dogs are typically spayed at around 4-6 months of age. This can often be scheduled in conjunction with the pup's last set of vaccines, if you wish. Cost for a spay and hernia repair will vary widely depending on where you live and which specific vet clinic you go to, so I would suggest calling around to some local clinics in your area for prices if this is a concern.