Your Questions About Umbilical Hernia In Adults by Swaminathan Viramani

Robert asksâ&#x20AC;Ś

Are inquinal hernias hereditary? Are there any nutritional preventatives to give puppies or pregnant dogs? I have put a deposit on a Cavalier puppy that I would like to someday have a litter of pups with. She has an inquinal hernia. If this is hereditary I don't want to continue with the purchase.

admin answers: Umbilical hernias in puppies are a genetic or congenital defect in over 90% of the cases. The disorder is passed from generation to generation just like the color of the coat or the animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall size. Very, very rarely are they caused by trauma or excessive pressures during whelping. Animals that have a hernia or had a surgical repair of a hernia should never be used for breeding. Additionally, those adults that produce puppies with this condition should not be bred again My puppy has a hernia as well. Next week when he goes in to get neutered the vet is going to close the hernia as well.

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Mark asksâ&#x20AC;Ś

Can previous umbilical hernia surgery lead to or become a contributing factor to irritable bowel syndrome? I previously have had hernia surgery twice and i also suffer with ibs (irritable bowel syndrome) both times I had surgery and some mesh was inserted now I am on my third reoccurrance of the hernia is there any know connection between the two.

admin answers: What is irritable bowel syndrome? Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the manifestations of functional abdominal pain. Functional means that there is no organic disease. Functional abdominal pain describes a constellation of symptoms as a result of intestinal motility disorders. Symptoms may include: flatulence bloating diarrhea constipation urgency with defecation incomplete sensation of defecation passage of mucus in the stool What causes irritable bowel syndrome? The digestion and propulsion of nutrients and fluids through the gastrointestinal system (GI) is a very complicated and very well organized process. The GI tract has its own intrinsic muscles and nerves that connect, like an electrical circuit, to the spinal cord and brain. Neuromuscular events occurring in the GI tract is relayed to the brain through neural connections, and the response of the brain is also relayed back to the gastrointestinal tract. As a result of this activity, motility and sensation in the bowel is generated. An abnormality in this process results in a disordered propulsion of the intestinal contents and generates the sensation of pain. The nerves that control the digestive tract may also be more sensitive to the activity associated to the process of digestion. Children with irritable bowel syndrome may be more aware of gas and motion and rumbles of the intestines. They are more aware of these discomforts and hence more irritated when they occur. The child who experiences the symptoms of irritable bowel

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syndrome is thought to be as a result of the following and their interaction: motility abnormalities visceral hypersensitivity The viscera are the organs inside the abdominal cavity. The GI tract is the largest in the abdomen and it has been seen that in patients with functional GI disorders there is heightened sensitivity to changes within the intestine, whether to the presence of food or as a result of distension of the viscera. Psychosocial problems It is well known that the emotional state of the person can directly influence the activity in the gastrointestinal tract. High levels of anxiety, stress, or anger can induce diarrhea. A stressful event is not circumscribed to emotional issues but also to physical stresses such as a viral illness or any other particular disease state. Bacterial infection Some of the individuals with gastroenteritis caused by a bacterial infection sometimes develop irritable bowel syndrome. All of the above factors can trigger the occurrence of symptoms. It is important to stress to the child with a functional bowel disorder that his/her abdominal pain is real and not imaginary. Who is affected by irritable bowel syndrome? Irritable bowel syndrome occurs in both children and adults. Ten to 15 percent of school-aged children and adolescents have symptoms of functional abdominal pain to the point of interrupting their daily normal life. Thirty-three percent of adults who have irritable bowel syndrome can trace their symptoms back to childhood. Girls are affected by the disorder slightly more often than boys. There is no known gene that causes irritable bowel syndrome, but the disorder does seem to occur more often in families where either a child or a parent has the disorder. Why is irritable bowel syndrome a concern? Children with irritable bowel syndrome often do not feel well. Those who have diarrhea may have little warning of their need to go to the bathroom, and, therefore, may be embarrassed and avoid going to school or socializing with their schoolmates. Children can become depressed or anxious because of the disorder. Most children with irritable bowel syndrome continue to grow and develop normally. However, some children may eat less to avoid the pain that can accompany digestion, and therefore, lose weight.

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Its greatest morbidity resides in the fact that it affects normal daily activity of the child, affecting school and peer relations. What are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome? According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), irritable bowel syndrome in children tends to produce two types of symptoms: diarrhea or pain, depending on the age of the child. Symptoms may include: recurrent abdominal pain. The pain becomes chronic when it has been present for a period greater than three months. An altered bowel pattern with diarrhea and constipation, all of which suggests intestinal motility dysfunction. Headaches pallor nausea dizziness anorexia limb pain In children, symptoms of functional bowel disorders are variable and are age dependent. For example: infantile colic (younger than 4 months of age) gastroesophageal reflux (younger than 2 years of age and then reappears in adolescence and adulthood) chronic non-specific diarrhea (younger than 4 years of age) constipation (any age) irritable bowel syndrome (adolescents and adults) The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are not unique for the condition. Altered bowel pattern and abdominal pain could be symptoms of organic disease - one reason why you should always consult your child's physician for a diagnostic work-up. How is irritable bowel syndrome diagnosed? Your child's physician will obtain a thorough medical history, perform a full physical examination, and obtain screening laboratories to assess for infection and inflammation. The laboratory tests, imaging studies, and procedures to be performed will be dictated by the history and physical

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examination. Tests and procedures that your child's physician may order may include the following: blood tests - to evaluate whether your child is anemic, has an infection, or has an illness caused by inflammation or irritation. Urine analysis and culture - to help assess for urinary tract infections. Stool sample - for culture to check for bacteria and parasites that may cause diarrhea. Stool samples for occult blood - occult blood cannot be seen and is only detected by a special solution that turns blue when coming into contact with blood. It suggests an inflammatory source in the gastrointestinal tract. Lactose breath hydrogen test - to determine if your child is intolerant to lactose, a sugar present in milk and milk products. Abdominal x-ray - a simple study that will give the physician an idea of how the internal organs look. Abdominal ultrasound - a diagnostic imaging technique which creates images from the rebound of high frequency sound waves in the internal organs. Endoscopy - a test that uses a small, flexible tube with a light and a camera lens at the end (endoscope) to examine the inside of part of the digestive tract. Tissue samples from inside the digestive tract may also be taken for examination and testing. Rarely, the physician will require ultrasound and/or an endoscopy.

Charles asksâ&#x20AC;Ś

I have an umbilical hernia, will it go away?

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I have an umbilical hernia that slightly pops out right above my belly button.. Sometimes its not noticeable and other times its painful and annoying. I don't have heath insurance and want to know when its time to go to the doctor for this or if I can just live with it. It really doesnt bother me most of the time.. Thanks

admin answers: It will not actually heal on its own if you have always had it, and any that appear during adulthood may need surgical repair. For adults, surgery is typically recommended to avoid possible complications â&#x20AC;&#x201D; especially if the umbilical hernia gets bigger or becomes painful. So pay attention to what is going on with it and go to the doctor if you get concerned. Read what the Mayo clinic says about umbilical hernias. Http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/umbilical-hernia/DS00655

Richard asksâ&#x20AC;Ś

Can weigth lifting cause umbilical hernia at adults? I am 20 and I have been working out this year and specifically weight lifting. Recently I noticed something small and red in my navel. I wander if it appeared because of weight lifting and it's umbilical hernia. Perhaps it's irrelevant , I don't know...

admin answers: You can definitely develop an umbilical hernia from weight lifting. A hernia would appear as a

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soft bump or bulge in the area of the navel. It may or may not be painful depending on it's size. If you really feel you have developed a hernia it wouldn't hurt to have it evaluated by a physician.

William asksâ&#x20AC;Ś

What cat food brand is better for my cats? I have three cats which are all short hair tabbies and I have one cat who is 8 year old and has a really sensitive stomach. We're feeding them the Iams Adult, ive watched a commercial for true blue, pedigree, and science diet that its better than leading brands. is this really true? what brands are best?

admin answers: The best guidance I can give you is to learn how to read ingredients labels, so you can choose the best of what is available in your area. Here is a website that can help you do that: http://www.catfoodguide.com/ It not only teaches you how to read cat food labels, but also gives reviews of some brands. The short version is this. The better foods have specific muscle meats (rather than by-products or meat meals) in the first couple of ingredients. Any grains or other starches are much further down the list - the lower, the better. Avoid by-products altogether. Many cats do not tolerate soy, corn or wheat, so you may wish to avoid those as well. It is unlikely that you will find the better cat foods at Walmart, or at your local grocery store. And yes, you may find yourself standing around in a pet store, reading labels for a long time - I do it myself, whenever I consider a new brand. If you get concerned that these better brands are costlier, here is something to think about. The cheaper brands are cheaper because they have so much in the way of cheap filler - i.e. Grain. Because cats are obligate carnivores, they are not designed to digest grains very well, and do

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not derive much nutrition from them. In order to get the nutrients that they need from the cheaper foods, cats will eat more. Because the better foods are more nutritionally dense, cats are more satisfied eating less. I know that I can feed my cats portions of foods such as Innova, California Naturals, Merrick, Nature's Variety, Wellness, Blue Buffalo, and several others, that are half the size of the portions I fed them of Iams or Hill's products. This offsets the difference in price. Also, I have learned by hard experience that the less I spend on cat food, the more I spend at the veterinarian's office. Of all the times that I have taken my cats to the veterinarian for over the last eleven years that had nothing to do with the quality of the food they eat - there was one birth defect (umbilical hernia), the usual maintenance (shots, spay, neuter, annual exams, dental cleanings), and one infection that were unrelated to what the cats were eating. Every other health issue my cats had, including several episodes of bloody stool, scratching ears bloody from reactions to food allergies, struvite crystals - hundreds of dollars in veterinary costs, were all from diet. So don't forget to factor those costs into your pet food budget, eh? Oh, and one incalculable benefit of feeding the higher quality foods - because they eat less and digest more of it, their poo tends to be smaller and less... Um... Fragrant.