324 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



In the matter of feeding and general management the patient should be 

 dealt with as prescribed in inguinal hernia. 



VENTRAL HERNIA 



In speaking of umbilical hernia we pointed out that the escape of 

 the abdominal contents took place through a natural opening (navel or 

 umbilical opening). In ventral hernia it is otherwise. Here the muscular 

 and fibrous structures of the belly are ruptured by some form of violence. 



Fig. 119.— Ventral H 



The more common causes of this accident are kicks, horning by cattle, 

 falling on to blunt stakes or posts while jumping, sudden and forcible 

 compression in passing through narrow gates, straining in the act of 

 parturition, or when cast in a drain. 



Ventral hernia may occur in any part of the abdomen, and will vary in 

 size in accordance with the extent of the rupture. It may be no larger 

 than a cricket-ball, or it may extend from the groin towards the girth 

 for a considerable distance. The contents of the sac usually consist of 

 intestine or omentum, or both may be present at the same time. 



Symptoms. — When of recent occurrence the enlargement may be 

 much in excess of the actual size of the hernia, owing to the inflammatory 



