Can someone please tell me what the health implications are if a puppy has a small hernia problem at a young age.  It's a large breed.  How does one tell if the hernia will get worse, and does it mean that he will not be able to run, play, etc later on.

thanks

Our Bichon had a small hernia on his tummy which he had when we got him at 10 weeks old.  The vet decided to operate on it when he was around 4 months old and he is fine now and can run, play and do anything he wants. 

that's good to know, thanks. yes this pup has the same problem. basically it looks like a big belly button.  Can i ask, how much does an operation like that cost, and is there any way to tell (before taking him to the vet) if it is a mild problem, like your dog or if it might be more seroius.

Thanks.

I'm not too sure how much it cost because we got him from a kennels and he was insured for 6 months so they paid the price of the operation although we had to have their vet do the operation.  I think it is a common problem though because my sisters King Charles Cavalier had one years ago and he had it operated on.  I would be guessing but I think that it would be around £100-£130.  It might be best to ring round a few vets because they seem to vary in price.  It will also depend on the size of dog because a bigger dog will require more anaesthetic.

Good luck.

It depends on the size and type of the hernia. A very small umbilical one can be left alone; a larger umbilical one can be repaired at about 6 months; inguinal hernias will definitely need repair.