DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA
A diaphragmatic hernia is a rupture or tear of the diaphragm (the muscle separating the chest from the abdomen). It usually occurs following a trauma such as being hit by a car, and it is a very serious injury. When it occurs, there is a loss of the negative pressure that permits a pet to breathe properly. In addition, abdominal organs travel up into the thorax, taking up space that is needed by lung tissue and displacing the heart.
Any or all of the organs that should lie behind the diaphragm can slip through the tear in the muscle wall. The liver, stomach and intestines are the most common. Once inside the chest they can twist or may not be receiving adequate blood supply. These organs can then start to die, or food material may not be able to pass through the stomach or intestines.
Signs that a pet has a hernia vary depending on how large the hole in the diaphragm is and what organs have slipped through into the chest. The pet may become seriously ill immediately, showing depression, failure to eat or drink, vomiting, respiratory difficulty, restlessness and a dark or purple color to the tongue. Sometimes, however, the signs are less apparent. The pet may just not seem to act as good as it did before the accident. Sometimes diaphragmatic hernias are discovered years after the accident on x-rays taken for other problems.
The treatment for a hernia is surgical repair. Even if the pet has not appeared ill they should always be repaired. A dog or cat with this type of injury is a ticking time bomb. The hole can split further or intestines or stomach can twist and strangulate at any time. Although a pet may compensate quite well for the reduced lung and heart function caused by the hernia as it ages problems with breathing will usually become apparent. Surgery is much less risky when a pet is young and healthy as well.
The degree of risk involved in diarphragmatic hernia surgery depends on the size of the hernia, what organs are involved and how badly damaged they are and how compromised the pet’s breathing and heart functions are. Your veterinarian may recommend you see a surgical specialist, especially if the tear is large and will need the insertion of mesh to fill the hole.
