# stomach tacking and umbelical hernias



## petitpie (Nov 16, 2011)

I think you should take the advice of her breeder. Is a hernia covered in her contract? Most breeders recommend gastro at the time of spay/neuter.


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## Doggroomer812 (May 4, 2011)

*hernia repair*

I got an umbilical hernia repaired on my Cavalier King Charles... I just casually mentioned it when I dropped him off for his neuter. I didn't think to ask about how much it cost... it was an extra $100, and for our vet that is a huge amount (our full dentals are only $70)... so make sure to get all the costs. If you do the surgery the few hours away, I would stay overnight, just incase there are issues and you need to have her re-seen quickly... also because having a woozy dog in the car is probably going to equal puke everywhere. My friend just got a doberman, and her vet recoomended against the stapling during the spay... as there was no bloat in the lines.


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## Travis (Sep 10, 2012)

I am no expert by any means but I agree with the previous post. If there is no bloat in the line then it probably isn't warranted to perform the surgery. Also, just a reminder that even if the stomach is tacked it can still separate and the dog can bloat again. My poodle Sophie survived bloat surgery with flying colors only to pass away from a blood cancer a year later. I think if you are vigilant and know your dogs behavior it can be caught fairly effectively. I found out a few years before Sophie had her issue with bloat that one of her sisters also died of bloat and I had already researched the symptoms. The signs were pretty obvious, she would vomit on occasion but this was completley different. When she was suffering from bloat she would not lay down and walked in circles due to the discomfort. She also would try to vomit but wasn't able to and she was gasping a lot of air when she was vomiting. I just had a feeling so after about 3 hours of close monitoring and not being sure what was going on at first I rushed her to the emergency vet. They tacked her stomach and her organs had no damage and were only gray rather than black--a sign the blood supply was not cut off for too long. Long story short, it is a heart breaking thing...surgery is not cheap but surgery is not a guarantee either. Knowing your dog and your dogs behavior and any changes in your dogs behavior is the best prevention you can have. Dogs aren't like humans and small changes in behavior mean major health issues might be occuring. Dogs want to be normal, they don't complain like we do and they just do their best to behave normally until they are truly physically unable to behave like themselves. Just my ideas on the subject. I'm sure you will make an educated decision, just remember either way to know your dog and watch the behavior closely.


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## Tuffcookie (Dec 22, 2010)

I had Gracie's stomach tacked at the same time she was spayed. I decided since they already had her under anesthesia, why not do it? When I first brought her home from the breeder's, at age 12 weeks, I noticed she was a gulper with her food and water so I wanted to give her as much protection as I could. I have also switched her food & water bowls out for ones that are called "slow feeding" bowls. Those have helped alot and I highly recommend them if you have a dog that eats too fast. Even though I know tacking the stomach comes with no guarantee she will never get bloat, I feel better knowing she had it done!

Cindy


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## Travis (Sep 10, 2012)

Hi Cindy. I think that is a fine and good decision. I'm sure the percentage of rebloat on a successful surgery is low AND if your dog doesn't have bloat in the line then your dog's risk is probably virtually nonexistant now. The veterinarian had said that there was a small percentage of dogs who would still rebloat BUT these were dogs who had already bloated and were predisposed to bloat. He said if the surgery wasn't done almost ALL the dogs predisposed to bloat will rebloat. Also there are various tacking methods and the incidence depends slightly on the type of surgery or at least this is what the vet had said. I am getting a miniature poodle because it is much less common in them this time around but your post will make me ask questions and also talk to the breeder about this! I think the peace of mind you will have is well worth it and that it is so easy to see how much you care about your dogs when you are thinking so far ahead about the issue! It is so sad, but the veternarian had seemed very suprised when I said do the surgery. He said many people would choose not to do the surgery on an 11+ year old dog due to the financial cost but it was a very easy decision. I think your puppy is very lucky to have someone who knows so much about the breed and is already working to ensure a long and happy life!


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## Travis (Sep 10, 2012)

Oh on another note, Sophie was the slowest eater ever. She would take one or two pieces of kibble and from her dish and carry it to the expensive rug in the living room and eat it and then repeat the procedure! When I would give her a tortilla chip she wouldn't gulp it down but would put it between her paws and just break off minute pieces, chew them and then break off another. I have never known a dog to eat so meticulously or slowly. She was such a charachter. As a puppy she was a gulper though! I think your dishes and precautionary measures are great!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

I would absolutely have it done! After watching my late Mother's silver bloat twice in five weeks and having to have him euthanised with the second episode, I NEVER want to see a dog suffer like that again in my lifetime. I now highly recommend prophylactic gastropexy to all of my puppy people. Some breeds are prone to it whether or not it is in their lines, just because of the build of those dogs.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

I was fostering a 6 year old female spoo who had an umbilical hernia. My vet fixed it when he did the spay at no extra charge. It was right where he was cutting anyway so I got the idea that it was really pretty easy to fix it. Maybe some umbilical hernias are more complex than others. All I know is that it was very easy in this case.


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## missmygirls (Jun 5, 2012)

My mini poo never had a problem with bloat. Is it common in this breed or just in standard poo?


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