I have two pups with me from my litter now 9 weeks.  One has just shown signs of a hernia, about the size of a small pea.  It can go back spontaneously and just gently pressing pushes it back in.  I've been keeping an eye on all of them and this is the first time I've noticed it.  Obviously, going to the vets next week to get checked and first innoculation, but what is the prognosis?   Is it likely to need operating on or could it be late closure?  Everything I'd read about hernias indicate that they would show up earlier than this and I have been checking all the pups for this so surprised it's happened so late.  Has anyone else had experience of this?

> Everything I'd read about hernias indicate that they would show up earlier than this and I have been checking all the pups for this so surprised it's happened so late. 

I think around 9 weeks seems to be a prime time for this to show up. Of course if they are large hernias they might well show up earlier. If it's just a small one it is unlikely to give trouble in the future. Ask your vet when you go next week.  The usual advice is to just keep an eye on it, and only get it removed if the dog is going under anaesthetic for some other reason such as spaying.

And of course you will need to point it out to the puppy buyers.

This happened to me about the same time; the puppy in question's home had fallen through, so he ended up staying with us till twelve weeks, in which time I had it checked at 8 and 10 weeks, both vets said it was fine and minor. I told the puppy buyers and they said they would have it closed up when he was neutered, so no troubles there. Puppy was fine and showed no discomfort, and the hernia was like you say, the size of a small pea.

When this happened to me I was unsure, as it was the first I had ever seen in all my years with dogs.  Yes, I know people will be disbelieving, but I had never bred a pup with one.  Even in breeds where I was told it was common.

Like you, it showed just before pup was leaving home.  They still wanted the pup, so I paid for the hernia repair.  I couldn't, in all conscience, allow the cost to be born by the buyer.

We bought a puppy with a very small hernia, vet said he would check t at six months and of course I was worried, the breeder sent me info on the subject, the hernia was soft, we massaged it daily and it easily went back in , now at three months it has completely gone, no sign whatsoever :)

At what age would you advise on a hernia repair?  A breeder I know has a 10 week old puppy and everytime the puppy eats the hernia expands.... I advised surgery as this to me is a dangerous hernia which could ultimately result in strangulation..

Sorry to hijack the thread but its the same subject.  My 4 day old puppies umbilical cords have dropped off now but their umbilical areas don't feel flat, I can feel a bump. Does this mean they are likely to have hernias or is this normal so early after birth?  I can't honestly remember what they usually look like at this stage.  My last litter didn't have any hernias although a couple in that dam's mother did.

we have had 1 pup with an hernia we felt it at 6weeks but went at 3months i never felt a bump after they had dryed and fell off did mum chew them close to pups bellys ??.x

This may help differentiate between a harmless late closure and a true hernia:

http://www.showdogsupersite.com/kenlclub/breedvet/umbilical.html

other topics http://www.showdogsupersite.com/featx.html#bvet (it is US based)

This one is especially interesting: http://showdogsupersite.com/kenlclub/breedvet/vhr2.html

>At what age would you advise on a hernia repair?

I had a toy breed done at 8 weeks with no problems.