Hernia

[Depp_by_Chocolate]

I have seen a foal I really like the look of however he has a small lump on his belly in front of his sheath I'm suspecting to be a hernia. It is quite small and I didn't notice it in person only in the photo's I took of him afterwards.

What I want to know is if it is a hernia is the surgery expensive? And would it affect him for showing and as a riding horse later on?

[ischa]

i wouldnt no about the cost but for showing it would mark you down but as too riding it wouldnt affect him

[FPErin]

How old is the foal? Perhaps it's the umbilical stump just withering away they can take a while to shrink on some foals. My current foal is 5 weeks and his is still shrinking away. It may of course be a hernia in which case it depends how large the hole is in the abdomen wall as to what treatment is/isn't needed. There is a dnager that some of the intestine can "fall through" the hole and cause problems. I bred a foal 4 years ago who had a 2 to 3 finger hernia. We had her operated on after she was weaned. Think the cost of the op/visits/stay at vets was around £500. She did have another swelling there a couple of months after the op but her new owner's vet put a lamb ring on it and it withered and dropped off. Can you put a photo on here of the lump?

[Depp_by_Chocolate]

Thanks for the response. The foal is 2 months old, I would put a photo up but as the foal isn't mine I haven't got permission. I'm going to take another look at it and talk to the breeder. £500 is quite resonable I guess.

[only_me]

My horse has a hernia and it has never affected him. We do showing as well and he has never been market down for it.

My boy is 8 and he has had it since a foal.