I did post this some time ago but did not get much of a response so I thought I would post again.
I had in a few litters umbilical hernias, and have listened to everyones view on how they come. Inherited, bitch being too rough, etc.
I had used different lines in my time still all with the same problem getting one in a litter with a small or large hernia. So I started to think why it could happen.
I noticed that the umbilical ring needs to close and if the bitch is over zealous with yanking on the cords it does stress the area. So why does the bitch get over
zealous. Well I think it was down to the fact that it was the cord, being full of blood still and live almost I suppose you could call it. The bitch keeps chewing on it. So I thought how could I dry this cord up quicker letting the umbilcial ring close. So I bought some Sterzac from boots. It is a powder for babies navals once they are born dusting it on the cord stops infections etc. So I had this litter last summer time and thought I would try it out. I tore the cords as far as I could away from the puppy. Handed the puppy to the mother to lick and then would not let her yank on the cord, I did shorten a few I add as I left them too long and she still wanted to chew this off. I left it around 10 minutes then got the Sterzac powder and dusted the area, making sure all around the cord was dusted. The cord started within 15 minutes to dry up. One or two I dusted again, but when the pups were 5 weeks old no hernias. I thought well that could of been a fluke. So my mother had a litter of pups and I asked her to do the same with excellent results. I have done it on my litter this year again with excellent results. No hernias. Now why!! If more of you could have a go with this sterzac powder from Boots the Chemists and tell me if it works then great. But if this really helps then it could help everyone that could suffer from a hernia.
I add I dont think it would help a large, large hernia as these types are different.
But let me know what you think, could this be a fluke or do you think like I do that closing the umbilical ring quicker stops the smaller types of hernias.
Nutkin

Hi Nutkin,
I use Sterzac powder routinely on pups cords. Pretty sure from this end that the biggest cause of hernias (especially larger ones ) is hereditary. In our parti colour lines I cannot remember one puppy in the last 9 years with a hernia - and I am sure that this is not just because the Parti bitches are more careful! With the solids, we had 2 distinct lines, one line produces very few hernias - perhaps 1 in every 3 or 4 litters. The other solid line descends from 1 bitch, and produces almost 50% of pups with hernias. Most are small, and dont need any attention, but 1 or 2 have needed surgery. The hernia inheritance appears to be dominant, because when we have crossed these 2 lines the 50% still holds. And this is with sterzac applied.

This "foundation" bitch had a 4 year gap between first and second litter, so we didnt give much though to it till after the 2nd litter - just put the first bunch down to rough handling! When we discovered that a bunch of the 2nd litter had hernias we started a little research, and discovered that her litter sister (in the USA) had had 4 litters, and every pup in every litter had a hernia!

We now have grand-children, great-grandchildren and great-great-granchildren, and the incidence is lessening. Someone told me the other day the Shih-Tzus have a very high incidence of Hernias - any Shih Tzu people on the board?
bye
Gwen

Oh what a shame Gwen I thought to myself I had found the answer. As it really did seem to work.
The reason I thought it had helped was that it was repeat matings that I had no hernias on.
It was interesting reading what you put down.
Thanks
Nutkin

Hi Gwen and Nutkin
I've always cut my pups cords and never had a hernia...neither have the pups :D
tRACEY