Our lovely little lab puppy (12 weeks old) has an umbilical hernia. I have had two different vets look at it and they don't seem concerned. Neither was I as it doesn't trouble her. However, today I was reading a book on gundog training which I am very keen on, and the message seemed to be to avoid a puppy with a hernia. The only thing I can think of is that it may affect her when jumping. Any thoughts on this please.

If it is a very small Hernia that has closed over, as the vets attitude would suggest, it is not going to cause a problem. Small Hernias often close over completely by the time a puppy is a few months old. You only would need to worry if the opening in the abdomen is big enough to insert your finger, as there is a danger of a piece of intestine coming through and getting strangled, but in most cases there is a little pad of fat blocking the hole and sealed off by the umbilical ring which was late closing. This is my understanding, having discussed the matter with a vet exhibitor.

Quite often, with a small hernia you can push it back in. If you do this often enough and catch it at the right time then it will stay in

The KC will not permit dogs which have had a hernia operated on to be shown.
If you have a dog with a hernia which has not been operated on it can be shown.

Having had a glass or three of wine I had better not comment further

Christine

Hi Christine - thanks for your reply. I am amazed that the KC will not allow a dog to be shown if its had an operation to correct an umbilical hernia. Not that I intend to show, but I cannot see any reason. Its hardly cosmetic surgery is it?
Lorna

Afraid it is considered altering the natural conformation of a dog, and I suppose if a judge started feeling around for hernias an exhibit without one might be perceived as having an advantage over the one with! Doesn't make sense really, as operations to repair cruciate ligaments, amputate toes, and parts of tails etc, are all allowed, as is neutering, provided permission to show is applied for.

It is partly because some hernias are considered to be hereditry whereas injuries to ligaments, tails and toes are not hereditry. By operating to repair a hernia you are (in the KC's mind), hiding a hereditry condition.

How on earth would the KC know that the dog had been operated on for an umbilical hernia??? My rotti had one repaired and you wouldn't be able to tell.

Because the regulations you sign when you enter a show say you must declare it and apply for a permission to show!

John