Hi there! 5wk old with inguinal hernia [Archive]

SamtheSquirrel2018

08-16-2022, 03:45 PM

Hi everyone! So I have two babies that we’re touch and go but now we are on the right path but my girl has an inguinal hernia-she just opened her eyes-doing great otherwise but I’m wondering if I should be trying anything at her age re the hernia-wrap, etc. thanks for any and all suggestions :))now that she’s developed more hair on her belly the last few days it’s a lot harder to see- i attached pics-a pic before feeding and the pic after of the hernia when I could get her still (so yes, her belly is big but she did just eat ;)

Hi CJC:
I'm sorry that your post has not had a response yet! I have not seen a true abdominal or inguinal hernia in a Squirrel but I am a very low volume rehabber. I don't see why it wouldn't be possible, however, for a Squirrel to have a hernia. An hernia in the abdominal region is a weakness in a portion of the abdominal wall which allows some of the intra-abdominal contents to protrude through the defect and this can often be noticeable as you have notice the "lump" in your little Squirrel's inguinal region. While this may truly be a hernia, it may be another mass of some sort, abscess (pus pocket), cyst (a lump with a relatively firm or hard outer capsule with some softer material within), or a nodule (solid lump) of some sort or possibly other another less common conditions. One of the most common finding with an uncomplicated abdominal hernia is that with gentle pressure applied over the lump; the lump disappears because the pressure has forced whatever had protruded out from the abdomen back inside the abdomen where it originated. This is called reducing the hernia. The two major complications of an abdominal hernia are incarceration and strangulation. Incarceration is where the neck of the hernia sac has effectively trapped the protruding abdominal contents in the hernia sac. One of the risks of incarceration is the development of the other major complication of an abdominal hernia and that is strangulation. Strangulation is where the protruding abdominal contents lose their blood supply and it is a surgical emergency. That's kind of an overview of abdominal hernias. If the small lump you see on your Squirrel is really a hernia it may be worth applying some gentle pressure over it with a finger or q-tip and see if it does reduce (go back into the abdomen). Again, this lump may not be a hernia. If it is I would not recommend a wrap because this could result in problems if too tight and most likely your Squirrel would tear the wrap to shreds anyway! Also, hernias are not ordinarily "treated" with wraps or binders because these do nothing for the defect in the abdomen and when assuming that the hernia contents are reduced (there is no guarantee of this!) with the binder, they will likely protrude again as soon as the pressure is released. Another consideration is that this is a very young Squirrel and every part of this little one is in the process of maturing. If this is a hernia, it is very small and as the abdominal wall matures, the hernia may disappear. If this is a hernia, I would suggest just observe it and see if things improve or resolve (or possibly worsen). Certainly a Vet can be consulted and probably should be but please be very careful whenever you might actually consider taking your Squirrel to a vet or even a rehabber and many of them will confiscate your Squirrel simply because it is Wildlife. It is essential to ensure that your Vet is Squirrel Friendly. The best thing probably would be to make arrangements to send photos just as you did on TSB to a vet familar wiht Squirrels or rodents (Rats are a common rodent pet and far more Vets see Rats or Mice than Squirrels but they are similar in many significant ways.
Well, that was a long post but I hope it is of some value to you!
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel