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Christi's Hernia Emergency
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Hernia repair is a surgery that most people are familiar with,
either from their own personal experience or through
their pets. The majority of hernias do not present
as emergencies but on occasion they do. In the
case of "Christi" , her inguinal hernia
became a problem in need of immediate attention.
Fortunately for Christi, she has a wonderful and
attentive family. Her symptoms were subtle at
first but her owners knew that something was just
not right.
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(Click on picture for enlarged view)
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Although a "senior citizen" Christi
was new to her adoptive family. They knew she
had bilateral inguinal hernias which had never
posed her any problems. They planned to have her
hernias surgically repaired at a later date as
she had other medical issues to attend to first.
Inguinal hernias are abnormal openings of the
abdominal wall located in the groin/inguinal area.
They can easily be mistaken for fat pads in this
location. The noticeable bulge in the groin area
in most cases is reducible: the contents of the
hernia (most commonly fat and/or loops of intestine,
and at times the urinary bladder and /or uterus
in female dogs) can be pushed back in to the abdominal
cavity with gentle pressure. On rare occasions
these structures become stuck in the hernia opening.
Christi’s owners brought her to Southpointe
Veterinary Hospital because she had not eaten
in over 24 hours and she was reluctant to jump
or run; they suspected she might be having discomfort
related to her hernias. On physical exam it was
evident that Christi had a large, firm, painful
swelling in her right inguinal area. In this instance,
as in most, history and physical exam were critical
factors in arriving at a diagnosis. A tentative
diagnosis of an entrapped inguinal hernia was
made and immediate surgery to repair it was necessary.
When abdominal organs become trapped in hernias
their blood supply can become compromised causing
life-threatening damage.
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At surgery, an
incision was made over the tender, swollen area.
With careful dissection the hernia was documented
, and it in fact had a loop of small intestine
trapped in the inguinal opening. There was some
swelling and dark discoloration to the intestine,
but once the opening was surgically enlarged,
the blood flow returned and the appearance of
the intestine returned to a healthy pink color.
The affected intestinal loop was replaced in to
the abdominal cavity and the hernia was closed
with suture material.
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(Click on picture for enlarged view)
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Christi’s left inguinal hernia was routinely
repaired as well.
We are fortunate to live in a time of high technology
and medical advancements.
However, in many cases, the most important factors
in arriving at the proper diagnosis are history
and physical examination. Christi could not be
in a more attentive family; their observations
and immediate reaction to Christi’s discomfort
allowed her diagnosis and treatment to be fast
and effective. She suffered no additional problems
related to her hernias and continues to lead a
well loved and healthy life.
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