Hernia operations. Experiences please.

[lelly]

Has anyone had a hernia operation done on a 3 or 4 year old horse? I have just found that a horse I have rescued has a hernia at her belly button. In my defence she was very shaggy and un touchable when I went to see her and now she is moulting I can see it. My vet said to leave it but I am worried it will cause a problem. It's quite big, tennis ball size. The vet said it would need a gause putting in as the hole will be too big to draw together. If her body rejects it it will cause even more problems. Any experiences please?

 

[Aru]

If its not causing a problem I would leave well enough alone. She has had (and likely was born with) this hernia for several years without incidence.
Putting a 3 to 4 year old through a General anesthetic and all its risks is something I would look to avoid unless there was a life limiting or life threatening scenario.
What size and rough weight is she?
A hernia op in an older horse is quite challenging due to the hugh internal pressure from the weight of the mature gut on the repaired defect. If gauze is being discuss there may be a very large area to try and pull together. If the body rejects the gauze you may end up with an unhealing area and or peritonitis.

If you are considering this it is most definitely one for the experts.

 

[lelly]

Thanks for replying Aru. She is a cob type but quite underweight at the moment due to neglect. She stands about 14.3 ish and possibly weighs about 400kgs but that is a very rough guess. You have said much the same as my vet. My only worry is that once I leave her I dont see her again for nine hours. Should anything go wrong I wouldnt know. But as you say she has been fine for nearly four years now.