Do you have a pet like a dog or a small puppy? If yes, without thinking, do dogs have belly buttons? What was your answer?
Well, I found out that most pet owners are not able to answer that question and don’t even know the location of dog belly buttons. If you don’t know how it looks like, where it is located, we’ll help you figure it out. Other than that, here’s more including pictures, dog belly button hernia, rings, infections and why your dog is licking your navel.
A dog’s navel is called the umbilicus. Like all mammals, cats and dogs have umbilical cords from which they feed before they are born. The umbilical is what we call dog belly button, so YES, dogs have belly buttons. The reason why most people have no clue of dog belly buttons is that they, according to Uniteddogs.com, look a little different from those of human beings.
Feline and canine belly buttons, like those of humans, may have various problems here and there. These include getting infected, bleeding, being herniated, swelling, protruding (outie or popping) or even itching. You might notice your pet dog licking its belly button constantly, which should be cause for concern. But now, you need to know what a dog’s belly button looks like and where they are located.
Contents
- Pictures – What does a dog’s belly button look like?
- Where is a dog’s belly button located? In female dogs, male dogs?
- Dog outie belly button and innie belly buttons
- Dog belly button hernia, surgery, infection, swollen or popped out
- Causes of dog herniated belly button
- Surgery for dog herniated belly button
- Dog licking belly button
Probably the main reason why people keep asking the famous question ‘do dogs have belly buttons?’ So, if they do, what do puppy belly buttons look like? According to Lury on United Dogs, the best way to describe how a pet belly button looks like is as follows.
- Dog belly buttons, navels or umbilical appear as “scars located in the middle of the abdomen midway between the ribcage and the pelvis (hips).”
- Typically, cat and dog belly buttons appear as flat scars, usually without hair. If you note a scar-like or scab-like point on your dog, it is likely to be its navel. Some people describe their looks as white.
To further explain and enlighten you, I included a few photos or pictures of navels in dogs so that you can see how they look like. I realized that knowing the answer to this question (Do dogs have belly buttons) is very important because it will help you be able to determine whether you are feeling the puppy belly button or something else such as a swelling, hernia, infection or malignant tumor. See the pictures included in the post for clarity on dog belly buttons.
Both male and female dogs have belly buttons at the same point. Clara Burris, a veterinarian answering the same question on Quora notes that dog and cat navels are small and flat, which is why they are hard to locate.
One way of knowing or feeling a dog’s or cat’s belly button is by pressing on its umbilicus. The belly button will feel like a firm tissue just beneath the skin. In some animals, you will be unable to see it even if you get the right location. The reason is that they are just a small knot that appears as scar tissue. She goes ahead to warn that if you see something like a big visible navel button on your dog, you should take it to the veterinarian to make sure it is not an umbilical hernia.
Now that you know dogs have a navel, what type is your pet’s and are innies and outies possible? Well, if you have never seen one, it can be difficult to discern whether innie belly buttons and outie belly buttons are possible in dogs.
A dog outie belly button is one that protrudes to the outside. Small puppies may have outie belly buttons because it is likely still more of a scab on the umbilical than anything else. Outies are more common in humans than in pets. If your cat, puppy or adult dog has an outie belly button, the cause is likely to be something also known us poor closure of muscles.
As reported by Ann Hohenhaus on WebMD forums, outie dog belly buttons are caused when the muscles around the abdominal wall fail to close fully around the umbilical cord, during the development stage. This is sometimes called a hernia. We have discussed more on dog belly button hernia.
According to PetMD, dog umbilical hernia, also called dog belly button hernia is an opening in the wall of the umbilicus. This opening may show symptoms such as leakage of the abdominal contents. There are different types of belly button hernia: complicated and uncomplicated.
The causes may differ from dog to dog, though some of the causes are found to be related and common. They include the following:
- Inherited herniated belly buttons
- Trauma or injury on the abdomen can cause a swollen or popped out navel in dogs and cats
- Some breeds are reported to be at risk of getting herniated umbilical cords. These include Pekingese, Airedales, and Basenji.
Surgical correction of a swollen or popped out dog belly button is one of the treatments that may be used to correct the problem. Sometimes, the vet might replace abdominal contents. Without surgery, a complicated herniated navel in pets can cause infections.
If the hernia is small, surgery might not be required. However, if you can describe your dog’s swollen belly button as large, the animal is likely to have surgery as a form of treatment to remove the hernia and other complications, including infections.
“Surgery to repair a dog’s hernia may be as simple as closing up the tissue after removing the band of tough tissue that makes up the ring and replacing any contents into the abdomen. It could also involve the need for a mesh material, often wire, to help support the body wall in the case of a very large hernia.” [Dogchannel.com]
Why is my dog licking its belly button? Well, if your belly button smells, your dog is going to like sniffing and licking it all the time. Some people say that dogs like licking areas or spots that they cannot see. Since a belly button is likely sunken, your dog is just curious that is why it is licking it.
Now, hopefully, you can answer the question do dogs have belly buttons, and probably be able to know and identify if your dog is infected, has a herniated navel and what to do about it.