Clinical and Surgical Evaluation of Perineal Hernia in Dogs: 41 Cases

The purpose of the study was to report the clinical and surgical records of perineal hernia and associated rectal pathology with epidural morphine analgesia in 41 dogs. Fourty one dogs suffered from perineal hernia were included into the study with the age varied from 4.5 to 16 years. Eleven dogs had bilateral while the other 30 had unilateral (17 right, 13 left) perineal hernia. The clinical signs were perianal swelling (n=41), severe tenesmus (n=19), dyschesia (n=9), proctitis (n=7), fecal incontinence (n=4), stranguria (n=2) and hematuria (n=1). Associated rectal pathologies were diverticulation (n=15), dilatation (n=4), deviation (n=3) and sacculation (n=1). The rectal diverticulum was corrected by extraluminal plication (n=12) or rectal resection (n=3). Internal obturator muscle flap transposition was used to repair the hernia in all cases. Postoperative pain was subjectively evaluated and scores were “no pain” in 10 cases, mild in 28 cases, moderate in 3 cases. Mean follow-up time was 27.3 months (range 4 months to 5 years) and the recurrence was observed only in three cases postoperatively. In conclusion, combined perineal herniorraphy with internal obturator muscle transposition and rectal wall repairment can be carried out at the same time and epidural morphine administration provide adequate analgesia for these operations.