Hérnia umbilical em bezerro: relato de caso

Abstract

Cattle breeding is one of the most critical stages in cattle breeding since problems occurring during this period can lead to many losses, including high mortality, costs of veterinary services, and delay in development, discarding of future breeding stock and breeding delays. Among the affections that affect the calves, we can highlight the occurrence of the umbilical hernia, which despite being a disease well studied, is still quite neglected by the producers. Umbilical hernia is a non-infectious omphalopathic disease that can be acquired or congenital, which affects mainly young bovines, causing imperceptible damages to the rural producers. It has relatively simple treatment, especially when diagnosed early. With this, the objective of this work is to report the occurrence of an umbilical hernia in a mixed-blooded Holstein heifer attended at the Clínica de Bovinos de Garanhuns. The animal was aged between 10 and 11 months, the owner complained that it had increased volume in the ventral region of the abdomen since its birth, with progressive increase since then. Upon physical examination, the patient presented tachycardia (108bpm), elevated body temperature (39.4°C), increased volume in the umbilical region with soft contents, reducible without difficulties, thus diagnosed the umbilical hernia. Herniorrhaphy was thus indicated as a therapeutic protocol. The animal presented satisfactory recovery, with removal of the points eight days after surgery, receiving discharge. The early diagnosis is of great importance so that it can favor a suitable treatment for the animals that happen to be affected by umbilical hernias. Consideration should be given to existing techniques and to consider which will be the most appropriate for each patient, since this provides a good recovery of the animal; this choice is the responsibility of the veterinarian. The heifer of the present report, despite age, responded well to the therapeutic protocol, possibly due to the size of the hernia ring and adequate choice of the correction method, through herniorrhaphy.