Hi,
I know this topic has come up many times before but I am a novice and still confused. My weimaraner puppy has an umbilical hernia and I have bought her to show. The breeder made me aware of it but she did not seem worried and neither was I. Of course now I keep seeing more and more things about u hernias I have got myself into a frenzy that my pup with so much potential will be useless because of her 'belly button'. People have mentioned they are not a problem if not too big but what is 'not too big?'. My pup is nearly 6 months and the hernia is about the size of a 10pence piece and protrudes a couple of centimetres. It is obvious. The breeder did mention about pushing it back in but I must say I never realised it was any big deal so haven't really done this. I would say that it is impossible to push it back in completely though. Will it need operating on? I was not overly concerned either because our vet checked her over when we got her and didn't even mention it - presumambly he would have done if it was a major defect. Anyway, any peace of mind about our impending show career and my puppies future health / breeding prospects would be much appreciated.

This is a subject that has no 'right' answer! People disagree whether this is an inherited problem, or simply congenital, and so disagree on whether such dogs should be bred from.

The Kennel Club ruling used to be (may still be, but I'm out of touch!:)) that if a dog had an umbilical hernia surgically corrected, then it couldn't be shown. If, when she's lying on her back, you keep trying to push it back in, there might still be time for it to slip back and the muscles close behind it.

Really, if the breeder knew you were looking for a potential show/breeding pup you should have been steered away from this one. Sorry.

My champion bitch has a closed over umbilical hernia. The piece of fat that is left certainly dosen't protrude away from the body, just a slight swelling as it is a little fatty flat lump, as you said about 10p size and the thickness of a dried apricot when standing, you would really have to feel for it, and even if she had a smooth coat wouldn't be visible.

Protruding a couple of cm sounds like it is still open, and I have seen a Bernese at Ringcraft with one the size of a small egg that didn't seem to concern his owners!!!! Are you sure you are just not hyper aware of it, as if it was that large the vet would have passed comment?

Have you read this article?
http://www.showdogsupersite.com/featx.html Click on Umbilical Hernias.

Thank you for the replies. It is a very obvious lump and when she is standing you can clearly see it (I estimate it to be the size of a half walnut). I guess when she is matured it may not look so prominent. The breeder did give me first choice of pups and she said this one was her preference but if the hernia worried me then I could choose another. Obviously I now wish I had known a bit more about them as I would've made much more of an effort to push it in. Today I have tried to push it in and although there is some 'give' there I don't think it would be possible to push the whole thing in. If I push hard it just kind of moves aside, if that makes sense. I get the feeling there is still a small opening but too small to push the anything in. Would I be advised to keep pushing or would it be ok to leave it, both from a health and showing point of view?

As I seem to be in trouble with everyone today I might as well upset a few more ;)

I asked the question of the head of micro surgery at the Potters Bar veterinary College and was told umbilical hernias are inherited! No ifs or buts! that was his comment on the subject. I made a comment about maybe an inflected thing, rough bitch, but that was his comment!

Sorry, John

If you cant push it in, would this indicate that there is not a true hernia but a lump left over after closure?

This is interesting, as this particular bitch had chewed two of the cords off very close, so that there was quite a scab, and they both ended up with small hernias that closed leaving a l;ittle fatty pad. In her current litter the same happened to one of the pups, but when the scab finally came away at three weeks there as yet doesn't appear to be any sign of a hernia, though at five weeks it may be so small and the pup slim and light enough for there to be no protrusion. Will wait and see if there is any sign of one in a week or so, which is the age I noticed the two in her first litter.

It may well be a familial trait, but if they are only occuring as such small blemishes, and only sporadically I don't see them a s a major worry.

My oldest bitch has a tiny bit of trapped fat and the youngest, but neither of the two bitches in between. Also as far as I can tell out of the litters bred I only eve had those two with a smal hernia, which was my third generation.

I don't know the answer WL and Brainless. If you remember this came up a year or so ago immediately before I had an eye testing session and at the time I said I would ask in order to get the colleges view, and that was it!.

A small point though. If it is not a "hernia" would he actually be commenting on it? For example, if a bitch had chewed the cord off short, is it in fact a hernia in the true sense of the word?

Just a thought, John :)

John that was exactly what my vet said ,that in his opinion umbilical hernias done by over anxious mothers
or rough Mothers were not in his opinion true hernia,s but a caused rupture
Brett had a small one and there was no surgery on his advice.
I was at vet with him a few days ago and he says it is almost fully closed so much that I cant see an opening at all.
He said in his opinion large hernias always need surgery and are usually hereditory but tiny ones are mostly accidentally done by Mother.
.Having not ever seen a hernia on any of mine ,I am not in a position to debate it as I just dont know .However having been with my vet for years and never finding fault in him or his methods I guess I will go by what he says lol Its a case of the devil you know being better then the devil you dont know :D
Mari

Try squeezing the lump together first in your fingers to try & ease little bits of the fat in instead of trying to push the whole lot back in a once.

You may get more & more in each day & it will probably tighten up eventually.

Umbilical hernias are a, congenital (present at birth) and b,inherited,it used to be thought they were the result of an over zealous dam at whelping.The vet can soon tuck it in and suture,there is no KC ruling on this as it is not "cosmetic",so you can show her,but as for breeding,if you line breed (as you should),you cannot guarantee her pups not having one.You would have to know exactly where it came from in her lines so you can avoid it. Faolan

Sorry to correct you faolan, but there is a KC ruling on this, any repairs have to be reported to the KC and they will not give permission to show if a Hernia repair op has been performed.

I stand corrected!,but it is SO unfair! Faolan

AH! Now that's interesting as I am sure I read in dog world recently that surgically removed hernias were now exempt from the 'need permission to show but will be refused ruling'. Perhaps I misread it but I am sure that it is a fairly recent reprieve. Does anyone know for sure?!!
As for the other suggestions - I wonder if I am more confused that I originally thought.....I have assumed that this lump is a hernia from all the info I have gleaned but then could it just be a fatty lump as some people have suggested? I am certain that it is impossible to push any of this lump back in - does this mean the hernia has closed over? I suppose our vet might have some ideas but as I mentioned in my first posting - he didn't even mention it when he gave her a check up when she came home or when she went for her innoculations.
As she seems to be growing into her lump now it doesn't look so bad and if everyone agrees there are no health risks then I would prefer to avoid putting a dog through surgery.
Thanks for everyones opinions - shame there are no right answers!!