It’s True: Pets Have Belly Buttons
A client brought her dog to see me last week. She was worried about a mass that was present on his abdomen. I performed a general physical exam to rule out enlarged lymph nodes and other evidence of medical problems. Then I began to search for the mass.
But I couldn’t find it. After a few minutes of feeling around the dog’s abdomen, I asked the client to point out the mass. She directed me to his belly button which, thankfully, was normal.
My client was a bit surprised (and also slightly embarrassed) when I told her that the area of concern appeared to be a perfectly normal umbilicus (also known as belly button). But in my opinion she had no reason to be embarrassed.
First, many people don’t realize that dogs and cats, like all mammals, have belly buttons. Most canine and feline belly buttons look different from ours. They appear as small scars located in the middle of the abdomen midway between the ribcage and the pelvis (hips). If you press on your pet’s umbilicus, you may feel some firm tissue underneath it.
Second, in my opinion nobody should be ashamed of taking a healthy pet to the vet. As a vet, I would much rather discover a healthy belly button than learn that the client had spent months ignoring a malignant tumor.
I explained these points to the client. I hope that by the time she left she felt much more relieved than embarrassed.
Photo info: Newborn Golden Retrievers, with umbilical cords tied off. The site where the umbilical cord meets the body becomes the umbilicus. Photo credit: Gonzalo García Jaubert. Photo licensing information: CC.
You have questions. 
I knew I had a belly button. When I went for my spay my mom told the doctor not to cut it since it was so cute.
I am happy to know that my mom isn’t as crazy as she claims to be.
Thank you
Coco
You know it never dawned on me that my cats had belly buttons. I don’t know why I never thought about it. Maybe because they don’t look like ours? **shrugs shoulders**
I would have been like the dog’s owner, glad they were okay but somewhat embarassed. lol
Thats soo wierd!Because i always pet my dogs stomach and Ive never even noticed!!
In that case, I have found Cookie’s belly button after all! BOL, and I was wondering why she didn’t have one.
Of COURSE we have belly buttons!!
Rrruufff!!
I actually have an “outie”. My human sister discovered it my second day home. She was worried that it was something serious. But, when my mom took me in for my v-e-t appointment, he told her it was my umbilicus, which is sort of like a belly button. My family never knew dogs had belly buttons, especially outies!!!
Bandit
I’m surprised that many people don’t know cats and dogs have belly buttons. Both species are born with umbilical cords attached to them, just like people do, so it stands to reason that once the cord is gone, that spot will close up and form a belly button.
It’s more normal for cats and dogs to have “innies” - well, not innies like people have, more like a flat scar. It’s not as common for them to have outies - umbilical hernias - which can actually be dangerous if they are large enough, and which are commonly removed during spay surgery to avoid future issues with the “outie” belly button.
I thought it was true but my Auntie C never knew.
I didn’t know that cats and dogs had belly buttons until I became a vet tech. My boss one day told me that for a spay shave from ‘the belly button down’. I was like “what?!” LOL. I think my kitty’s belly button is adorable!
Great, now our mom is going to look for our bellybuttons! Thanks a lot! Heheh :o)
Yep, all mammals have a umbilical cord and thus a belly button…
I found my dog Ginger’s one day when rubbing her tummy, she has a slight bump there, and now I always rub her belly button.
You know I never really thought about it. I had noticed the “scar” looking thing there. But of course, they have to be fed in the tummy some way. Very interesting.
Wow! Mama always thought it was just a little scar she never knew it was my belly button!!! I fooled her!!!! BOL
Well, I knew I had a belly button all along! All mammals do! I guess I knew this because Mommy’s father was a biology teacher. BOL!
Great article. Who knew?
i feel bad for that girl well she didnt know.
Of course we have belly buttons but we call them Mommy Buttons, humans have such silly names for things.
We are connected to our mommies, not Billy’s! MOL!
I am glad that human learned 3 things, she can always take her dog to the vet, and no question is dumb but the one not asked!
ALSO that we all have mommy buttons!
meow!
^ ^
oo
>*<
Dora Tonks
I felt a little embarrased when I ask about my cats belly buttons when three of my kitties had to have a ebilical hernia removed at their spay and neuters…
[…] The knot in the middle of the stomach sounds suspiciously like the infamous canine umbilicus, or belly button. I discussed canine and feline belly buttons in a recent post. […]
I’m just like the dog owner, I was looking at this to find out if I should be vorried about the little lump on my cats stomach, but I guess it’s just his belly button, what a relif. :)