Inguinal hernia

An inguinal hernia occurs when abdominal contents pass through the inguinal canal into the groin or scrotum. The approach differs clearly between foals and adult horses.

In foals it is often a congenital or developmental hernia. The swelling may come and go and sometimes reduces spontaneously. Not every inguinal hernia requires immediate surgery, but assessment is important to estimate the size of the hernia, the structures involved and the risk of incarceration. When the hernia persists, enlarges or intestine becomes trapped, surgical repair may be indicated.

In adult stallions an inguinal hernia is usually more acute and potentially more serious. Intestine can pass through a wide inguinal ring into the inguinal canal or scrotum and become incarcerated there. This can quickly compromise the blood supply to the intestine and cause severe colic, so that prompt surgical treatment may be necessary.

During surgery the intestine is replaced and carefully assessed. Depending on the anatomy and severity of the hernia, the inguinal ring can be narrowed or closed to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Treatment is always planned individually. This includes assessing whether full repair is best done in a single procedure. Sometimes it is safer to spread treatment over several procedures. That depends on factors such as age, the size of the inguinal rings, the condition of the structures involved and the horse’s general condition.