 The diaphragm is a muscular wall that separates the abdomen from the chest. A diaphragmatic hernia or diaphragmatic rupture occurs when this thin muscle tears or ruptures. The terms can be used synonymously. A feline with a diaphragmatic hernia will be reluctant to exercise due to the effort it takes to fill the crowded lungs with air and will present signs of breathing difficulties. A diaphragmatic hernia in cats is a tear or rupture in the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the sheet of muscle that separates the abdomen from the chest cavity. With that sheet of muscle becomes torn, the organs from the bottom half of the cat's body push through into the chest cavity. The stomach, intestines, or liver may push against the cat's lungs, making breathing very difficult for the cat. In other cases, the intruding organs crowd the heart, causing rhythm and auscultation abnormalities. Symptoms of diaphragmatic hernia and cats. Symptoms of diaphragmatic hernia in cats depending on the severity and cause of the hernia. The clinical signs associated with diaphragmatic hernia include the following symptoms. Muffle heart sounds. Irregular lung sounds. Lethargy. Exercise intolerance. Tachypnea, increased respiration. Dyspnea, shortness of breath. Pale mucus membranes. Labored breathing. Abnormal heart rhythm. In felines with a mild case of herniation, the cat may display the previously listed clinical signs for a few days. Symptoms may then disappear as the condition stabilizes. As the herniated tissues still remain, the symptoms can reappear upon the physical activity or stressful situations. Depending on the organs affected by the cat's diaphragmatic hernia, the feline may also suffer from. Coughing. Weakness. Anorexia. Diarrhea. Vomiting. Abdominal distension. Pneumothorax. Air in the chest cavity. Pneumothorax. Blood in the chest cavity. There are two types of diaphragmatic hernia in cats, congenital and traumatic diaphragmatic hernia. Although the term is synonymously used for both types, each should be considered separately, as the underlying causes differ greatly. A congenital diaphragmatic hernia is present at birth likely caused by fetal development inside the womb. The most common type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, in cats is called a peridoneal pericardial diaphragmatic hernia. A traumatic diaphragmatic hernia is caused by blunt force, tearing the diaphragm. Causes of diaphragmatic hernia in cats. The cause of a congenital diaphragmatic hernia in cats is the result of an undeveloped fetal diaphragm. Although present at the time of birth, the clinical signs of a diaphragmatic hernia may not present themselves until the feline reaches one to two years of age. Traumatic diaphragmatic hernias in cats are caused by blunt force, rupturing, tearing, or bruising the muscle of the diaphragm. One examples of blunt force linked to diaphragmatic herniation in feline includes Hard falls, abusive trauma car accidents. Clinical signs of diaphragmatic hernia. Clinical signs are dependent on the severity of the herniation. With small tears or in cats born with a diaphragmatic hernia, there may be no discernible clinical signs. Many pet owners report mild breathing difficulties, especially when the cat is stressed, and periods of mild gastrointestinal upset. In severe or acute cases, there is often respiratory distress, an abnormal heart rhythm, muffled heart and lung sounds, and other signs of systemic shock. The abdomen may feel empty when palpated. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beemix Pets. Are you looking for high quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out BeemixPets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife, to get 20% off. Diagnosis. Diaphragmatic hernia often is missed during the initial assessment after trauma, so a high index of suspicion for this condition should be maintained in animals that had experienced significant trauma. Clinical findings that suggest diaphragmatic hernia include dyspnea, tachypnea, cyanosis, paradoxical breathing, and muffled heart and lung sounds. The abdomen may appear empty on palpation. Oscultation may reveal muffled heart and lung sounds on one side of the chest. Chronic findings that support a diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia include loss of the diaphragmatic silhouette, pulmonary atolectasis, and the presence of fluid dense structures in the chest or the pericardial sac. A gastric or bowel gas pattern within the thoracic cavity or the pericardial sac confirms the diagnosis. An upper gastrointestinal study might be required to confirm the diagnosis. The megasophagus is commonly associated with a hiatal hernia. Chromatic diaphragmatic hernia occurs as a delayed presentation or failure of diagnosis after trauma. Presentation for chronic diaphragmatic hernia can occur years after the original trauma. Usually presentation is due to entrapment of a liver lobe that produces significant pleural effusion. Preoperative considerations. Immediate surgical intervention for the repair of a diaphragmatic hernia is rarely indicated. Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia is a light-threatening condition. It causes several concurrent pathophysiologic derangements. Ventilation is impaired by loss of diaphragm contraction and pluripulmonary coupling. Gas exchange is impaired by pulmonary atolectasis as well as reduced resting lung volume. Oxygen delivery is impaired by decreased cardiac output resulting from impingement of venous return. Patients may also be compromised by trauma to other abdominal organs. Acute distension of a herniated stomach will further compromise the ventilation function and cause death in few minutes. Surgical therapy of diaphragmatic hernia is primarily supportive, consisting of supplement oxygen, shock therapy, and treatment of concurrent injuries. Surgical correction should be undertaken early, usually within several hours after presentation. Delaying surgery beyond a few hours only increases the likelihood of cardiopulmonary decompensation and death. Some animals present with severe cardiopulmonary depression that will not stabilize with oxygen and other supportive therapies. In this case, surgical correction should be undertaken without delay. Prognosis The prognosis for any patient with a diaphragmatic hernia is always initially guarded. It improves if the patient has been stabilized and if the heart rhythm is normal. After surgery, the risk of a condition called re-expansion pulmonary edema may occur. A guarded prognosis must be given for at least 24s after an apparently successful surgery. The prognosis for a young kitten with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia is guarded to good, depending on the specific diaphragmatic defect and the abnormalities found during surgical correction. Treatment of diaphragmatic hernia and cats The only treatment available to cats with a diaphragmatic hernia is surgical repair, which should be performed once the cat is stable. To reach stabilization, the veterinary team may place the feline on oxygen therapy and intravenous fluids to restore hydration. If fluid on the lungs has been noted, a chest tap will likely take place to remove the crowding fluids off of the lungs and heart. The focus of the diaphragmatic hernia surgery itself entails repositioning the organs in their correct place and repairing the torn or ruptured diaphragm muscles. Recovery of diaphragmatic hernia and cats Your cat will require inpatient hospitalization following surgery in a time frame set by your veterinary care professional. Expect your feline to stay at least a day in the hospital as tubes are commonly placed in surgeries involving the chest cavity to avoid fluid accumulation. Feline management is the largest part of diaphragmatic hernia aftercare, so the doctor will likely administer pain drugs to the feline while she is in the hospital and send you home with a prescription. Once the feline is released, it is important for pet owners to restrict physical activity for a few days to prevent damage to the surgical site. Giving your cat a chance to rest will also speed up her healing time and make for a better recovery. In trauma cases, adhesions may form between the lungs and any herniated abdominal contents after approximately 7 days. These adhesions will affect the ability of the lungs to inflate properly. The longer the corrective surgery is delayed, the more complicated and dangerous it becomes. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. Also don't forget to subscribe with notifications on, so that you don't miss out on videos like this. Thank you for watching.