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My dog has a perineal hernia. Is it an emergency? Will neutering help?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Maltese | Male | unneutered | 4 lbs

I adopted a 8 year old unneutered male Maltese 4lbs. He has a very small perineal hernia it does not seem to hurt him he poops and eats normal. But you can feel that there a small bump . He is going to be neutered next month. Will the hernia correct itself after neuter? Is it an emergency to correct it? What can I do to prevent it from getting big?

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Tomasz Wnuk

Veterinarian

Published on April 30th, 2020

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The perineal hernia will not correct by itself, it will not get better after castration either. It may stay as a small hernia and you will never have to do anything about it, but it may get bigger and you may have to get it fixed surgically. It is not an emergency as long as Bodie is going to the toilet without any difficulties. There is not much that you can do to prevent it. You have to avoid constipation, and his diet should be rich in fibre.

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    Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 1st, 2017

    So sorry that your dog is having this problem. Surgery is recommended for perineal hernias because the bladder or intestines can become trapped in the hernia which can be a very serious problem. If the hernia is small than the medical management that you are doing may work but your dog is at risk of having an entrapment if the hernia is not fixed surgically.

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    Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on April 18th, 2018

    If it is an umbilical hernia (at the belly button), then those are pretty benign and not very concerning. If it is an Inguinal hernia then there isn’t much to do except make a plan for surgery. It only becomes an emergency if intestines gets trapped inside it, and if that happens they get very sick very quickly. I’m glad you have an appointment set and can make a plan. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

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