My dachshund puppy's umbilical hernia won't go in. Is surgery urgent?

Question

I have a female miniature dachshund around 10 months old who has an umbilical hernia. Up until now I've been able to push it back in but now it won't budge and I'm worried! It's about 1.5 cm big. She is eating and acting normally and it doesn't seem to hurt her when I touch the area. I live quite far from a vet's office and I am wondering if she needs surgery and if so, soon. Pet's info: Dog | Dachshund miniature | Female | unspayed | 8 lbs

Ana M, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Coco. It is common for umbilical hernias to go from reducible to non-reducible as the dog grows. I typically surgically repair it at the time of the spay. If you are not planning on spaying her, it still should be corrected. However, it is not an emergency as long as it not red, painful and she is not acting ill. Most of the time, it is just a bit of abdominal fat that slip through the opening in the abdominal wall (the hernia). The risk is if an internal organ such as a loop of intestine slips through the defect. In this case, the hernia would be painful to the touch and Coco would likely be vomiting and showing signs of pain. This is very rare though. I hope this information helps!

My dachshund puppy's umbilical hernia won't go in. Is surgery urgent?

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