Do dogs have belly buttons? The simple answer is yes. Almost all mammals have a belly button, Although you may not be able to see a dog’s belly button as it is usually covered in fur and difficult to see.
However, if you really want to find your dog’s belly button, look for a thin, flat scar just above the base of your dog’s ribs, where the fur meets in the middle. Sometimes you may notice that your dog’s fur grows in a particular pattern in that region, and it’s usually right around where the navel is.
Why do dogs have belly buttons?
As dogs are mammals, they give birth to live young. So when the puppies are developing in the womb, they are totally dependent on their mothers for nutrition and oxygen. These essentials are provided via the umbilical cord, which is a flexible tube that connects the mother via her placenta to her puppy via its stomach.
Umbilical cords carry oxygen, food, and nutrients to the puppy and carry waste away from the puppy back to the mother so that she can dispose of it.
Once the puppy has been born and breathing independently, the mother dog either chews through the umbilical cord, or the umbilical cord is cut. The remains of the cord withers away, and a flat scar or belly button is all that marks the spot where the umbilical cord was once attached.
Why can’t I see my dog’s belly button?
If you have ever seen a newborn puppy, you’ll notice that the belly button is much more noticeable. However, it disappears quickly. A dog’s umbilical cord is small, and it heals extremely quickly once cut, leaving a flat thin line, unlike our complicated round navels.
Within a few days, the scar tissue gets completely covered in hair, making a dog’s belly button hard to find. As long as there are no complications, we may never see it again.
Herniated belly button
Occasionally a dog’s belly button is obvious. This is not usually a good sign but instead suggests a herniated belly button or an umbilical hernia.
Umbilical hernias appear as a lump or bulge located in or near the belly button. It could look bigger or smaller, depending on what your puppy is doing.
In the womb, the umbilical cord passes into the puppy’s stomach through a small opening in the stomach muscles. An umbilical hernia occurs when the stomach muscles do not heal properly, and the tissue or intestines poke through this weak spot on the abdomen.
If you notice that your puppy or even your adult dog has a noticeable bulge on its abdomen near where the navel should be, do get it checked.
Although they do sometimes heal by themselves, it’s better to get it checked by a professional.
Dog’s belly Buttons
Dogs do have belly buttons, even if they are hard to find. All placental mammals, including dogs, feed their young in the mother’s womb via an umbilical cord. Once the puppy is born and the cord cut, it creates a small scar located on the dog’s belly, creating a belly button. So next time you give your dog a tummy rub, see if you can find it!