Diaphragmatic Hernia in Dogs - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Content

• What is a diaphragmatic hernia
• Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
• Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia
• Diaphragmatic hernia symptoms in dogs
• Diaphragmatic hernia diagnosis in dogs
• Canine Diaphragmatic Hernia Treatment
• What does diaphragmatic hernia surgery in dogs consist of?
• Prognosis

When a dog suffers a traumatic process, such as being run over, falling, or hit hard enough to cause a diaphragm defect that allows it to passage of abdominal viscera for the chest cavity, a diaphragmatic hernia occurs. Such disorder can also be congenital. In these cases, the puppy is born with the hernia, which should resolve as quickly as possible, although it sometimes takes time for the hernia to become apparent to caregivers.

Keep reading this PeritoAnimal article to know exactly what is Diaphragmatic hernia in dogs - causes, symptoms and treatment, to better understand about this process that our dogs can undergo. Good reading.

What is a diaphragmatic hernia

Diaphragmatic hernia occurs when a failure appears in the diaphragm, which is the musculotendinous separation between the abdominal and thoracic cavity, which limits and separates the organs while intervening in the animal's breathing. This failure consists of a hole that allows the passage between the two cavities, therefore, it brings as a consequence the passage of abdominal organs to the thoracic cavity.

There are two types of diaphragmatic hernia in dogs: congenital and traumatic.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia

This type of hernia in dogs is one in which dogs are born with it. This is due to inadequate or defective development of the diaphragm during embryogenesis. Such a hernia can be classified as:

• Peritoneopericardial hernia: when the abdominal contents penetrate the pericardial sac of the heart.
• pleuroperitoneal hernia: when the contents enter the pleural space of the lung.
• Hiatus hernia: when the distal esophagus and part of the stomach pass through the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm and enter the chest cavity.

Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia

This hernia occurs when a traumatic external process, such as being run over, falling from a height, or being crushed, causes the diaphragm to rupture.

Depending on the severity of the damage caused by the rupture of the diaphragm, the process will be more or less severe, allowing the passage of more abdominal contents that will hinder the dog's vital functions, such as breathing.

Diaphragmatic hernia symptoms in dogs

The clinical signs that a dog with diaphragmatic hernia presents are mainly respiratory by the compression that the abdominal viscera exert on the lungs, making it difficult to breathe correctly. It should also be considered that congenital hernias may not be evident until the puppy is of age, with less acute and often intermittent symptoms.

Acute cases are those of traumatic hernias, where the dog usually presents tachycardia, tachypnea, cyanosis (bluish coloration of the mucous membranes) and oliguria (decrease in urine production).

Therefore, the symptoms of a dog with diaphragmatic hernia are:

• Dyspnoea or difficulty breathing.
• Anaphylactic shock.
• Chest wall dysfunction.
• Air in the chest cavity.
• Reduction of pulmonary distension.
• Pulmonary edema.
• Cardiovascular system dysfunction.
• Cardiac arrhythmias.
• Tachypnoea.
• Muted breathing noises.
• Lethargy.
• Thoracic borborygmus.
• Increased shock of the heart tip on one side of the chest due to mobilization of the heart tip by herniated abdominal viscera.
• Fluid or viscera in the pleural space.
• Abdomen palpitation.
• Vomiting.
• Gastric dilation.
• Oliguria.

Diaphragmatic hernia diagnosis in dogs

The first thing to do in the diagnosis of a diaphragmatic hernia in dogs is to perform xrays, especially chest, to assess damage. In 97% of dogs, an incomplete silhouette of the diaphragm is seen and in 61%, gas-filled intestinal loops are found in the chest cavity. Contents in the pleural space can be seen, which can be a hydrothorax due to pleural effusion in recent cases or a hemothorax with hemorrhage in more chronic cases.

To assess respiratory capacity, the arterial gas analysis and noninvasive pulse oximetry are used to determine ventilation/perfusion imbalances with alveolar-arterial oxygen difference. Likewise, the ultrasound allows to identify the abdominal structures in the chest cavity and sometimes can even determine the location of the diaphragm defect.

To confirm the presence or absence of hernia in dogs, contrast techniques such as administration of barium or pneumoperitoneography and positive contrast peritoneography with iodinated contrast. This is only used if the dog can tolerate it and if the imaging tests are not clarifying.

The gold test for diagnosing diaphragmatic hernia in dogs is computed tomography, but due to its high price, it is generally not considered.

Canine Diaphragmatic Hernia Treatment

Correction of diaphragmatic hernia in dogs is performed with a surgery. About 15% of dogs die before surgery, and shock treatment is required before the operation for their survival. Those who are operated immediately, that is, during the first day of trauma, have a high mortality rate, around 33%. If it is possible to wait a little longer until its cardiorespiratory function allows it, it is better to wait a little longer until the animal stabilizes and the anesthetic risk is reduced.

What does diaphragmatic hernia surgery in dogs consist of?

The surgical operation to resolve this hernia in a dog consists of a celiotomy or incision through the ventral midline to visualize the abdominal cavity and access to the entire diaphragm. Subsequently, the strangulated viscera of the chest cavity must be rescued to re-establish their blood supply as quickly as possible. Herniated viscera must also be relocated in the abdominal cavity. Sometimes, if irrigation has been too severe and they have been severely affected, the necrotic portion must be removed. Finally, the diaphragm and skin lesion must be closed in layers.

After surgery, medications, especially to treat pain, such as opioids, should be prescribed, and the dog should be kept in a safe and quiet place, well fed and hydrated.

Prognosis

Death from diaphragmatic hernia in dogs is due to hypoventilation due to compression of the lungs by the viscera, shock, arrhythmias and multiorgan insufficiencies. However, most dogs undergoing diaphragm reconstruction survive and are able to fully recover their quality of life before the hernia develops.

Now that you know everything about this type of hernia in dogs, you might be interested in these other articles about different hernias in dogs:

• Inguinal hernia in dogs: diagnosis and treatment
• Herniated Disc in Dogs - Symptoms, Treatment and Recovery
• Umbilical hernia in dogs: causes, symptoms and treatment
• Perineal hernia in dogs: diagnosis and treatment

Also be sure to check out this video about 10 canine behavior problems:

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

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