I am due to collect my pup next week. He is a miniature wire haired dachshund. I am and was made aware that he has a small hernia. I visited last week, and the hernia was small.  My beagle bitch also had a hernia, which was repaired at time of spay.

I have since been sent a video from breeder, saying that her vet feels it needs a repair quite soon. I would like an opinion from a knowledgeable source, as I would like to delay a neuter till a year old ish . So would like to avoid two surgeries if passible!  How to tell if it needs to be repaired now, or wait?

Judy22:  Puppy Hernia: Hi Judy. I am quite surprised that you have been advised that the 'little man' needs surgery 'quite soon'  I imagine he is between 8 & 10 weeks old (depending on when Breeder allows collection) and in my experience, a small hernia at this age can very quickly heal itself - mabe give a little time to see how things pan out IMO

All the time that it's pale, soft and can be pushed back into the body, it's okay. The moment it goes hard and perhaps discoloured it needs repair as a matter of urgency.

If the breeder's vet has advised that the repair needs to be done quite soon, then surely it is up to the breeder to have the operation done before sending the puppy home to you?

>surely it is up to the breeder to have the operation done before sending the puppy home to you?

Certainly. I had to do that myself in the past. If not, then the cost of the future surgery (estimated by the vet on official paper) should be deducted from the price of the puppy, or the breeder sign a statement agreeing to cover the cost in the future.

Thanks all, my feeling is to wait, it does push in and is soft. Not overly huge. Obviously I will speak to my own vet when he is taken for his second vaccination. I did speak to vet this morning and he confirmed that they are usually repaired at neuter, at 5 or 6 months!! Seems early to neuter to me, but that is another subject!

I'm not a fan of early neutering. I must admit that since her vet has advised getting it repaired sooner rather than later, my preference would be for the breeder to organise the operation and then to let the puppy come to you once fully recovered.

My boy had one which was repaired when he had to have a pebble removed from stomach when he was about a year, I wouldn't have bothered if he hadn't needed surgery.  A breeder told me that he fixed all the puppy hernias by somehow taping a 2 pence coin to it and the pressure over a short time corrected it .  Does depend on size and condition though.

Daeze:  Hernia in Puppy:  Totally in your camp re early neutering (not a fan) and yet Vets seem to broach this subject with every new puppy owner on their very first visit.  If the Breeder's Vet has advised surgery sooner rather than later then I suspect this Vet is looking for an opportunity to make another financial transaction especially when - given time- this small, soft hernia could heal itself.  I have been duped by many Vets over the years with this same agenda. On the other side of the coin, if the hernia turns out to need surgery then I totally agree the Breeder should come to some ficancial agreement with the new owner.

Yes it's normally done when the pup is neutered BUT I'd not want to castrate a male before a year.  And yes, I'd suggest it's up to the breeder to have this hernia repaired and the puppy recovered if it's that urgent.

Mamabas:  No Early Neutering:[/i]  Just want to repeat. Yes I agree!. ....Cannot fathom out why Vets immediately jump on the castration/spaying subject with a new puppy owner other than for financial gain.  New Owners beware. I had one of my new owners told that spaying of a 3 month old Puppy was the only way ahead or risk her dying of cancer Hope this particular Breeder accepts responsibility should things become an issue.

I can only think they have bought into the Animal Rights lobby view that all breeding is bad.

Or that they assume all new owners are idiots where responsibility for reproduction is concerned.

Well on my way to pick up puppy right now, the cost of potential surgery has been deducted from asking price. Which I think is fair.

Will keep a close eye on it, the idea of taping a coin is novel! Don't know how it would stay on though! Many thanks for all your input!

Totally smitten, and the hernia is larger than a fortnight ago, so.... Miserable about having a tiny pup having surgery

Why the rush to operate? Friend's of mine had a Cavalier with a largish hernia, it was never operated on & never caused him any problems. If it was a bitch that was going to be bred from that would be a different matter(although bitches with hernia maybe shouldn't be bred from), but I wouldn't rush into surgery

Ah I am not in a rush, not at all. Breeder said her vet felt it should be done soonish. My vet has yet to see him, I only collected him today.

To me it seems large in relation to his size, obviously don't want a surgery, would prefer to wait a year and have it done at neuter, but dont want it to get any bigger