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Discussion on Umbilical hernia in 2 year old-surgery or not?
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Member:
juliem
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 - 2:12 pm:
Dr. O, I have a coming two year old quarter horse mare I bought as a weanling. I had a vet check her at 3 months as she had a small umbilical hernia. He told me it was "one and a half" fingers and waiting to see if it closed would be prudent. She will be two in April. I had my vet palpate her today and it hasn't closed. He said it's two fingers long and one finger wide.
He says the surgery is quite extensive requiring laying her down on a table, heavy sutures and possibly mesh. He really didn't have a recommendation for me saying it's not likely, but certainly possible that a bit of intestine could get trapped in there. I didn't realize the surgery was such a "big deal", so I'm considering doing nothing which he didn't object to. She is big for her age, (and overweight, but not by much) and will go into training this Spring. Do you think doing nothing is prudent? Risky? What does your crystal ball say? Thanks, Julie
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 - 3:22 pm:
I had an AQHA filly that I raised from a foal. She had a hernia about the size you describe, it was visible just looking at her. It never got smaller or bigger. I sold her as a 2 year old to someone I knew, and she never had a problem with it for as long as I kept track of her...about 10 yrs.
I don't think she was ever bred tho, I wonder if the weight of pregnancy might effect it if someone decided to breed her?
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Member:
juliem
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 13, 2011 - 6:57 pm:
Thanks Diane, good to hear! I wonder about the weight of a pregnancy too, as well as the strain of reining/cutting training. I'm sure being a bit over weight can't help, but she is a REALLY easy keeper.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Jan 14, 2011 - 4:28 pm:
Julie without palpating it myself I will reserve prognosis and even with palpation may come to the same definite conclusion your vet has stated. However I certainly disagree with the need for a surgical table, mesh, etc.. We have done many hernias bigger than 1" by 2" in the field by refreshing the edges of the hernia and reapposing the tissue with number 2 gut, then a two layer closure of the skin.
DrO
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Member:
juliem
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Posted on Friday, Jan 14, 2011 - 7:10 pm:
Thanks Dr. O. I was under the impression the hernia could be repaired without such an extensive procedure even though she's two years old now. I think I'll have a second vet take a look when I have her wolf teeth pulled in March. I realize you can't hazard a guess without palpating. My vet doesn't have the facility for a procedure like he described, so she would have had to be referred to an equine hospital anyway. Thanks again.
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