Umbilical hernia.

[Charlotte150]

Hi, I am interested in viewing a 5 year old but it is about an hour away. The owner has said that when he was a foal he had umbilical hernia but had it removed does any one know any risks that could occur later in his life or is it just a simple procedure that he can be treated as normal?
As he is a liver chestnut would there also be a scar that would be noticeable if I ever sold him would it devalue him?
Thanks.

 

[Foxhunter49]

No scar is noticeable with an umbilical hernia.
A lot of vets nowadays just use a lambing ring (rubber band) gather the flesh around the hernia and ring it. The tightening of the skin holds the hernia together and by the time it has shrivelled away the hernia has healed. Some that are a lot bigger need operating on but even then there is no scar to see.

I had one family line where most of the foals ended up with an umbilicus hernia. I would not have even thought about mentioning it when they were sold - not because I am hiding anything but because I never gave it a thought. Never gave any of them a problem.