Know All About Dog Belly Buttons
What are Belly Buttons or Navels?
We all dog lovers must have wonder for once in life if dogs have navels just like us humans? Hence, let us start by understanding what bellybuttons or navels are exactly? In humans, the navel is a concave or convex portion on the abdomen above the waist. The concave type is also known as innies is the most common type with 90%. The rest 10 have convex types also known as outies. The Navel may also be simply a blister that is forming where a person is connect to the umbilical cords. At the time of gestation. Let’s get information about the dog belly button.
When a baby is in the mother’s womb, the umbilical cord acts as a source of food and oxygen and also acts as an outlet for wastage from the baby to the mother. One side of the umbilical cord is attach to the placenta of the mother and the other to the centre of the baby’s stomach.
As the gestation progresses, the placenta grows into an organ that takes care of all such functions. When the baby is born and begins to breathe on its own, the umbilical cord detaches and is properly secure. As days pass by, this leftover secure part of the umbilical cord decays away and what is left over is the scar that is known as the belly button.
Table of Contents
Do all mammals have belly buttons?
This entire process of development and birth is common to all mammals and is not limit to human beings only. You may find belly buttons on cats, dolphins, dogs and human beings. However, two mammals are exceptions to this process. First is the Marsupials that is a pouch animal similar to possums and kangaroos, which has a uterus and placenta. However, the placenta of this mammal is similar to a Yolk cyst and the baby is connecting with it for a small time. Later, the baby shifts over to the pouch where it gains its nourishment from its mother’s teat while it completes the development process and during the process, the umbilical cord dissolves away.
Monotremes is another exception amongst mammals. Similar to the Platypus, the Monotremes too are egg-laying mammals. As there is no umbilical cord involve, there is no blister form and hence they have no belly buttons.
When it comes to dogs, the puppies are born in cysts that are fill with fluids. The newborns are connecting to their mother’s placenta through the umbilical cord. When the puppies are out of the uterus, their mother nibbles on and tears away the umbilical cord of each puppy. In a few days, time leftover butts break off and only a small blister is left. This is known as the dog belly button.
This umbilical butt in dogs is evident only for some time and it gradually disappears with time. What is left over is only a small incision and not a bigger hole as that in human beings? This is simply because the umbilical cord in human beings is larger as compare to dogs and so is the belly button.
We have discuss above that the belly buttons in the dogs are very small incisions. In human beings, these are like a hole or a butt and are evident. In the case of dogs, there are small blisters only.
Where do you find them on dogs?
As in human beings, the belly button is on the abdomen, similarly, in dogs, you can find it in the abdomen centre of dogs. It is locate near the little bunch of hair, where the dog’s coat meets close to the rib cage. In most dogs, it is simply a small blister or round crease. In some dogs, the hair on the stomach may form a circular shape or there may be a bunch of hair close to the belly button.
Many times it is difficult to find it even while you are looking at the right spot. In such a case, it is good to feel the blister by placing your fingers over the area. When you feel a small stiff knot on the skin, you would have place your fingers in the right place to find it.
Are these alike in dogs and humans?
In human beings, the belly buttons are locate in the abdomen below the nipples, however in dogs; they are locate in between nipples. In humans, they are prominent, protruding out or like a tiny pit, whereas in dogs they are like a small blister. As humans have less hair compare to dogs, these are visible. Belly buttons in humans are different from those of other mammals and are relatively larger.
Are dogs amused by the belly buttons of human beings?
While dogs are not much fascinate with their own, your dog may be more curious about your belly button. This is in particular for the ones that are concave in shape. This small hole not only attracts strings in it but also catches sweat inside it. Therefore, if you sweat regularly, there are more chances of your dog being attract to the odour.
Also as discuss, in all mammals, only human beings have prominent belly buttons and tend to decorate them with jewellery or with tattoos.
How is a protruding belly button on a dog?
We have seen that the belly button on a dog is simply a blister. However, there are times when it is protruding out on the skin; it is because the development of the puppy may have not happen the right way. When it is plunging out or is bloat the condition is call an umbilical hernia. In normal terms, a hernia is a condition when the organ is bulging out from an opening.
Similarly, umbilical hernia in dogs occurs when the wound creates at the umbilical cord when it is detach does not recover perfectly. Usually, a muscle wall is left over to be heal in some time at the spot where the umbilical cord was join. If this is a simple umbilical hernia there is nothing to worry about as it diminishes itself in due course of time.
Only when it is a complex umbilical hernia, it must be taken very seriously and a veterinarian must be consult immediately to treat the same. In this condition, an internal part of the abdomen like a portion of the intestine extends out from a small space in the muscle wall. This concern can be solve in dogs through surgery.
Which breeds are prone to umbilical hernia?
Generally, this can occur in any breed, some breeds tend to form umbilical hernia during the initial period of their life. It is therefore very important to keep a watch on them. Consult a veterinarian in case of any doubts. Following are the breeds:
- Beagles
- Airedale Terriers
- Pekingese
- Basenjis
Conclusion
Here we have taken a deep insight with regards to dog belly buttons. How they are form, how they look like and where can you find them. After having read this, if you tend to look for your dog and are unable to find it, there is nothing to worry about. The job of the belly button is over once it is born as a puppy. And it is fine if it is not prominent.
To get more information:
