When should I worry about my 5-week-old puppy's umbilical hernia?

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!

Milo’s a cutie! That does look like a hernia, which is a rift in the abdominal muscle wall where intestines protrude through. Some hernia’s are reducible meaning you can push the bowels back into the abdomen. Some are not, and you are correct, there is always a change that they can get bigger and more dangerous because if they are big enough for a loop of bowel to pass through and twist on itself/strangulate….that can be life threatening. It is best to have the hernia repaired (they’re not removed…rather they bowel is pushed back through and the opening in the abdominal wall is sutured closed) at the time at of the neuter to minimize the number of anesthetic events Milo undergoes. This can be done earlier than 6 months….e.g. at 5 months. You can discuss early neutering and hernia repair this with your vet or wait 2 months and have both done when he is 6 months. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From your picture it appears as though Kilo has an umbilical hernia. They are non painful and do not have to be fixed. They usually do not cause a problem. They are genetic and it is not recommended to breed dogs that have them. Some dogs that have umbilical hernias are also cryptorchid (undescended testicle(s)). I can tell you that most of my clients fix the hernia when they spay or neuter the puppy. If you are not going to breed Kilo then it is recommend to neuter him but this is your personal choice. I would wait until he is a year old then decide. Neutering doesn't protect against prostate cancer but it does prevent all the other prostate diseases. If he marks in your house or becomes aggressive I recommend neutering. I hope this helps!

Umbilical hernias can be genetic, so it is possible there is a genetic link. It is not recommended to breed from a dog with an umbilical hernia due to the possible genetic link. Some hernia can close spontaneously before the puppy is six months of age, but if it is not closed by there, then it should be closed surgically.

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.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It does look like umbilical hernia. As long as it is not getting bigger, there is no danger for Gracie. Umbilical hernia rarely causes any problems to dogs, unless it is very large (it does not look large in Gracie). This hernia can be surgically repaired, it is usually done at the same time as neutering (during one surgery).

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!