Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Congenital inguinal hernias associated with a rent in the common vaginal tunic in five foals.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1988
- Authors:
- Spurlock, G H & Robertson, J T
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Five foals were brought in because they developed belly pain (colic) within a day of being born. A physical exam showed swelling in the groin area that extended to the front of the penis, and the vet could feel loops of intestine through the skin over the swelling. The hernias could be pushed back into place when the foals were held on their backs, but surgery revealed that the swelling was due to a hernia where part of the intestine had slipped through a tear in a protective layer. If a foal has a hernia along with belly pain, swelling that reaches the penis, or if the intestines can be felt in the swelling, it’s likely that surgery will be necessary rather than trying to push it back repeatedly. In these cases, surgery is the recommended treatment.
Abstract
Five foals were admitted because of colic that developed within 24 hours after birth. Physical examination revealed swelling from the inguinal region to the cranial aspect of the prepuce. Through the skin overlying the swelling, distended loops of bowel could be palpated. The hernias could be reduced with the foals restrained in dorsal recumbency. Surgical exploration showed the swelling to be an inguinal hernia with small bowel herniation through a rent in the common vaginal tunic. Concurrent rupture of the vaginal tunic should be suspected when a congenital inguinal hernia is associated with colic, swelling that extends to the prepuce, or intestine that is easily palpated within the hernial swelling. Repeated manual reduction in these cases would be of little benefit and surgical intervention would be recommended.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3198461/