My 12 week old shih tzu puppy has an umbilical hernia, is it dangerous?
an umbilical hernia will not heal itself, however it doesn’t cause the dog any pain. they are not immediately dangerous however as the puppy grows the hernia can grow as well making the opening larger and the chances of the intestines getting caught in there higher. most vets are satisfied waiting until they spay or neuter the puppy to fix the hernia however if it is extremely large they may want to take caare of it before that. 1cm isnt a terribly large hernia and the vet probably wont be pushing to fox it immediately. however if for whatever reason you do not plan on having him neutered then it is something that you should take care of sometime in the near future.
No, the hernia really isn’t painful, but it will need to be corrected. They can do it the same time they go in and spay her. ADD: A hernia is a spot of weakened lining against the inside of the abdomen. There are different kinds, but generally, an umbilical hernia is high enough that the intestines do not get caught in the hole like it does with inguinal hernias. Also, check with your breeder. A reputable breeder will usually absorb the cost of having this surgery, or at least provide partial payment since the pup was born with it.
