Hernia, Pleuroperitoneal Diaphragmatic
Description
This is a very rare form of hernia which is caused by a defect in the skeletal muscle of the diaphragm. The defect prevents the animal from generating the negative intrathoracic pressure required for inspiration and small animals therefore usually die at or shortly after birth. Large animals may survive for considerable periods of time with no clinical signs or they may show signs of respiratory difficulty or abdominal pain (if abdominal organs are incarcerated in the defect).