While dogs do have belly buttons , if you think your whelp has an ' outie , ' it might actually be a sign of a problem .
If your dog has an all - consuming direction on hold food or aid , you might be justified in predict them a navel gazer . But whether or not your hot dog is able to lock in someliteralnavel gazing is another issue wholly . Do heel even have belly button ?
It might seem like a light-headed question , but know what ’s normal on your pet ’s consistency can help you recognize potential trouble too soon . That ’s why we ’ve asked Brandi Whittemore , DVM , ofHancock Veterinary Servicesin Pineville , Mo. , to take us through the innies and outies of abdomen buttons on dogs .
Photo: Ziga Plahutar / Getty
Do Dogs Have Belly Buttons?
Yes , Virginia , there is a belly button on your dog ! grant to Whittemore , both dogs and cats have a belly button ( or umbilicus , to be technical ) for the same reason humans have one ( as well as almost every other mammal ) . It ’s simply a scar from where your pet was once connected to their umbilical cord . During maternity , the umbilical electric cord , which is impound to the mother ’s placenta at the other remainder , serve as a conduit for delivering food for thought and oxygen to the growing pup while also removing permissive waste .
Once a puppy is born , there ’s no need for the lofty papa pup to come and cut the umbilical corduroy . That ’s what mammy ’s tooth are for . She chews her puppies innocent , and then the umbilical cord stump dries up and falls off within a few days , forget a scar ( i.e. belly button ) behind .
Where to Find A Dog’s Belly Button
alike to humans , Whittemore says you may find your andiron ’s belly push button in the middle of their stomach — just past the rib cage and before the pelvis — but it may not be instantly placeable . " It typically is n’t round and does n’t appear as a hole , " she explains . " rather , it looks like a modest , matte scar that ’s often sort of ellipse in frame . "
If your dog is empower in fur increase , their abdomen push may be especially hard to spot . Using your hands , you may mildly examine the region in search of a modest section of unfaltering skin ( indicating scar tissue ) .
Can Dogs Have Outie Belly Buttons?
When it comes to innie and outie belly buttons , both alternative are " out " with gaze to dogs . " I on occasion see some that are thick and gentle to feel and see , but I do n’t see lawful ' outie ' belly button , " Whittemore says .
However , there are times when tissuedoesstick out in this area , and such lumps and bump can be a signboard of a trouble . In such cases , Whittemore tends to suspect one of three alternative :
Hernia
Hernias are the result of an home organ or other body part press through a weak spot in the muscleman wall or tissue that normally holds it in place . There are several eccentric of herniation , but one eccentric that is peculiarly relevant to the stomach button realm is theumbilical hernia .
Umbilical hernias occur in puppies whose abdominal walls do n’t close all the way after they ’re bear . Often , this does n’t cause any problem and the paries finally closes on its own . However , in some cases , the opening is large enough that the puppy ’s intestine are able-bodied to sneak in and out of the possible action . This term involve surgery to close down the abdominal rampart . If left untreated , the jut intestines could get trapped or deform , which is a life - threatening situation .
Abscess
abscess are collections of pus and are a coarse job in dogs . They tend to appear as red , swollen lumps under the surface of your pet ’s tegument that are warm and afflictive to the touch and can be accompanied byfeverand lethargy . abscess are often do by a break in the skin ( e.g. scratch , bite combat injury ) . As the pelt heals over the combat injury , bacterium can get trap in a sack that fills with pus as the dog ’s dead body attempts to fight back the contagion .
Whittemore notes that the abdomen button area is peculiarly susceptible to abscesses during the time between when the umbilical electric cord is detach and when the navel is in full cure , as bacteria can enter through the remnants of the umbilical cord while it ’s still drying . Abscesses take the attention of a veterinary professional who can exhaustively drain and pick them . The veterinary may also prescribe anantibioticto in full rid the whelp of infection .
Tumor
Tumors are unnatural growth of tissue and more usual in honest-to-goodness pets , Whittemore order . They can be benignant ( noncancerous ) , as is the case withlipomas , or they can be malignant ( cancerous ) , likemast mobile phone neoplasm . Diagnosing tumor typically take a quick process called a fine acerate leaf aspirate in which the veterinarian use a small phonograph needle to take cells from the lump to scrutinize under a microscope . The course of treatment is dependent on the type of tumor and its severity .
Bottom note : disregarding of your dog ’s age , if you see something on your darling that looks like an outie belly button , do n’t ignore it . Set up an fitting with your veterinarian so they can take a tone at it as soon as possible .
