Umbilical hernia... questions

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post here after lurking at this wonderful forum for many months. I have learned so much from all of you already.

We're in the process of adopting a Siberian kitten who we should be getting next weekend. We've named her Chloe and are really looking forward to having her as part of our family. She is truly adorable and we are so excited!

We do have one concern. At her latest checkup, the breeder's vet noticed a "small 0.5cm reducible umbilical hernia". From what I have read, a "reducible hernia" is quite easily pressed back into place and sewn up during a spay operation. Is this true?

From the forum search I know that some of you have had to deal with this in the past so I just wanted to hear about your experiences and whether this is something I should be concerned about.

Thanks for all your help in advance,

~Nisha

My two both have umbilical hernias, and the vet has assured me that they can be dealt with when they are neutered

Yes, that's correct. For a female kitten an umbilical hernia is not a big deal at all because the vet will just repair it when she's spayed. There isn't even an extra incision required. For a male kitten the hernia repair will require an extra incision since neutering doesn't require cutting the abdomen, but the procedure is still very straightforward (even easier than a spay would be, since no internal organs are touched) and can be done at the same time as neutering.

Ashly had one when Hissy brought her to me. It was easily taken care of during her spay. The scar was quite large but she recovered nicely.

Thank you so much everyone. It really helps to know that this type of hernia isn't too serious and that I'm not alone in dealing with it. I'll probably have it done at the time of her spaying at about 4-5 months. Hopefully it will be a simple procedure, won't be too uncomfortable for Chloe and won't cost too much either.

I've spoken with a few vets about it and they've confirmed that a "reducible hernia" is fairly easy to deal with. It becomes more complicated if any major nerve and blood vessels are getting strangulated in that area but *fingers crossed* that none of us have to deal with that.