Perineal hernias are very serious and can result in rapid deterioriation and death. The pelvic bones support muscles that in turn support the rectum. When these muscles atrophy and their attachments break down there is no support for the rectum and no barrier preventing the abdominal contents from entering the “pelvic vault”. This means that the bladder, the prostate and the small intestine can become entrapped in the pelvice area causing strangulation and resulting in sepsis, kidney failure, shock and death. This condition is more common in dogs than in cats and happens mostly in male dogs. Surgical correction is difficult and requires muscle grafts and specialized techniques to restore the pelvic vault to function. .

The surgery must be done on both sides of the rectum. The internal obturator muscle is elevated from the floor of the pelvis and used to connect the anal sphincter to the sacrotuberous ligament. The contents of the hernia are reduced into the abdomen while large non-absorbable sutures are preplaced in the graft, through the sacrotuberous ligament and through the anal sphincter then the sutures are tied pulling the anus back into its normal position. The skin is sutured then the pet is neutered. Nutering is essential as testosterone is thought to cause this problem.