Surgical treatment of right lateral abdominal hernia in a heifer

A lateral abdominal hernia is relatively a less common incidence resulting from abdominal wall defects in cows and heifers than other types of hernias. This is usually an acquired defect, and heifers at the farm and field levels can be affected by accidental trauma or as the sequelae of poorly handled abscesses or wounds in the abdominal region involving the rupture and tear of the regional muscular intersections. An affected heifer was clinically examined, and an oval-shaped swelling on the right lateral side of the abdomen and cranial to the stifle skinfold was detected with a palpable sac having the characteristics of a prominent ring and reducible herniated mass covered by subcutis and intact skin. Being diagnosed as a right lateral abdominal hernia, the case was further surgically treated by herniorrhaphy to reconstruct the abdominal wall defects. Postoperatively, the animal was provided with intensive care and supportive medications. There are several reports on ventrolateral and ventral abdominal hernias in small ruminants; however, case studies focusing on the clinical diagnosis-based treatment of right lateral abdominal hernia in large ruminants have rarely been reported.