Gundog Training Forum

Hello! Looking for some help and advise..

I have had a super morning picking a 7 week old Labrador pup. The litter is fairly well bred and I have seen both parents in the field and like they way they work and look. Of the available bitch pups, one stood out immediately, she was forward, playful, inquisitive but most of all she wouldn't leave me, knocking other pups out of the way to get back under my hand (its hard to over look a pup like that!). After a cursory inspection of the other pups, I had really already had my decision made for me. I spent a joyful half an hour playing with her and giving her a good look over. It was at this point I was told she had a suspected umbilical hernia. I had another closer look at her stomach and although small, there was definitely something there. It appeared just over a week ago is soft and is about the size of a dried pea. It pops out after she has eaten and the breeder just pops it back in, which is why I hadn't notice it.. honest! The dam has thrown no other pups with hernias and as far as we are aware, neither has the sire. The breeder then got the other pups out and let me pick a 'back-up' who is lovely, but about whom I am slightly less enthusiastic. They agreed to take the original pup to the vet tonight to check it out as they intend to take the whole litter next week before they are picked up anyway.

When I told my OH about my day he vetoed the 'hernia' pup as we want the option of breeding from her if she reaches her potential.

The vet has confirmed that it is definitely an umbilical hernia but is vague as to whether it is hereditary or as a result of the dam chewing out the cord a little enthusiastically, she will also not advise as to whether it will cause any problems with whelping, but is clear that it will create no intestinal problems. The breeder has offered to pay for any operation.

I have very little experience of hernias and will talk to my vet (who is the same as the breeders) but I am looking for some practical opinions from working dog owners who have experienced this.
In your opinion, does this sound like a hereditary hernia? Does it sound like something that will self heal? Should we operate? If so, when? Is there any other issues I need to consider? Should I suck it up and get the other pup? How do I persuade the OH???

Question is, how important is the possibility to breed from it if it should prove to be a super dog? Even if the breeder offer to pay for operation, however simple, it's still a worry.. You need to ask yourself those questions and ponder. I would most likely get the other pup offered, if it's a well bred litter all shouldn't be a huge difference between them?

Helene

There are lots of reasons for hernias and most situations are easily correctable when necessary. I'd go with the bitch that wants to bond with you. If you are looking for a breeding bitch then for the entire female part of the litter there is another raft of questions to ask. And it is still a lottery. Go for the pup you want and see how she goes - you have two years to see how things go.
What are the health tests with the litter?

If the pup is only 7 weeks old, is the size of a pea, and the vet says it won't create a problem, then the hernia may resolve.
A ring of muscle surrounds the umbilical cord and after whelping the stub dries and falls off leaving a skin covering.
The muscle ring normally closes in between 6 to 8 weeks.
The danger of an umbilical hernia is the catching the intestine and cutting off circulation which kills the intestine, and death.
Rule of thumb is if the little finger can push through the ring of muscle, then operate.
My suggestion is take the pup, wait until 3 months old to see what happens. Have a written clause from the breeder to cover costs for surgery.
Umbilical hernias are highly suspicious of heredity, but this may be a case of inherited delayed closing time, and is not the same as unresolved hernias that must be operated on for the preservation of the animal.
It can be caused by very close severing of umbilical cord at birth but you would have to witness the action.
One affected pup is not unusual at 7 weeks of age.

It is easier to breed out one easily seen physical condition than to breed in several unseen and mental attitude values that mesh with the handler.

That's the way I see it, but it is your call.

I've got a bitch that had an umbilical hernia, it was small as you describe and healed by itself as my vet advised it most likely would..By the time she was nearly six months old you wouldn't have known there had been a problem...No previous history and probably a result of as the other posters describe.... Our vets advice was though that we shouldn't breed from her.

So if your hope is to breed from her eventually if she reaches her potential as you say then you need to let your head rule your heart, we didn't as it didn't matter to us. Hard as it is, there will be other litters with just as much potential but without the worries you have now.

Rascal

I bred a litter ,almost two years ago, and had a bitch with an umbilical hernia. I couldn't make my mind up between the bitches as to which one to keep so I kept the one with the hernia rather than possibly pass on a problem, the Vet said it was quite small but a hernia non the less. I couldn't be happier with how she's turned out but I won't breed from her, so I agree with the advice given above.

I didn't realise that this could be a hereditary condition! (You learn something new every day), just my two penneth- I would go and revisit and if the same pup bonds with you again, take her. For me a love for you at this age is going to make training a lot easier and a lot more fun, it's there natures message! Good luck, whatever you decide.

If the pup has a tiny hernia and is fine in every other way I would take it. No dogs is perfect and the best two dogs I have had were the ones who chose me. Looking at it slightly differently from the others, if the bitch turns out to be exactly what you wanted and has good health test results a tiny hernia is neither here nor there. If there is one hernia in the litter and hernia's are hereditary then several of the other pups will be carrying the gene too and you won't know which until you mate one to another carrier.

When the time comes you may decide not to breed anyway, for whatever reason, but you will likely have twelve years of pleasure from the bitch and won't have any "what if" thoughts if you take the one you really want rather than one of the also rans.

Which is a roundabout way of saying I agree with Prairie Boy!

i had litter 5 mths ago one bitch had hernia ..no real problem .. i kept it myself even though i had anothe rbitch picked ..the bond with the hernia pup was stronger than my first choice so sold tghe other on....£100.00 sortred out hernia .another week and she will be ready to pick up on her training again ..

It sounds like a delayed closure to me if it is that small, and will no doubt resolve itself given a bit more time. A lot of vets don't seem to understand this and are quick to call anything an umbilical hernia. It is likely to close up and disappear in time. So, I would choose her if you like her. Like another poster has said, if it is really hereditary then there will be other 'carriers' in the litter too.... minefield. Pick the pup you like.