My puppy has a belly button bump. Is it an umbilical hernia or normal?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. She may have developed a umbilical cyst and not necessarily a hernia. These are typically benign and cause no harm. If you want to be sure of what this is, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Roxy and this area to help better determine what this could be. Additional testing such as a fine needle aspirate, where the vet inserts a small needle into the lump and looks at the cells under the microscope, can easily be done. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

It looks like it may be part of the umbilical cord that hasn't dried up or healed completely yet, which can be normal at this age. I would keep the area clean and dry and continue to monitor it. If the area seems to be bulging, worsens, or the puppy isn't thriving or nursing properly, I would seek out veterinary care to rule out more serious issues.

Hi Annie! From your pictures, it does look like Coco has an umblical hernia, but I can't say for certain without seeing her in person. Luckily these are easily fixed when a dog is spayed, so when you make the appointment to have that done, the vet can discuss fixing it at the same time. It's never recommended to breed a dog with an umblical hernia because they are hereditary. Give your vet a call to make an appointment to have her spayed. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There can be a small “outie” for a few days but this could also be an umbilical hernia. This is a small hole in the body wall at the area where the belly button is. A little peice of intestine or abdominal fat pokes through to cause the bulge. It feels soft and squishy and you may be able to “poke it back in” for lack of a better term. This is not considered painful or especially dangerous but it is something we keep an eye on throughout puppyhood. If it’s still pretty decent sized, we generally just sew the small hole closed at the time of spay. Mention it to the vet at her first puppy check up. Obviously if it gets hard, painful, red, bigger, or Shadow has any other concerning signs, head into the vet sooner. Best of luck to you and Shadow!

Luma could have an umbilical hernia. This is an opening in muscles wall located where the umbilical cord was previously attached. Typically these need to be corrected surgically and it can be done at the same time as when you get him neutered. It's never recommended to breed a dog who has had an umbilical hernia because there they are inherited. I would have Luma seen by a vet either tomorrow given this bump is large. The vet can diagnose if it is an umbilical hernia and can discuss when surgery should be done to fix it. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for posting! Umbilical hernias are recommended to be repaired at or around the time of neutering to prevent the hernia from becoming larger and also prevent the intestines from becoming trapped or strangulated in the hernia. Umbilical hernias can be genetic, so it is recommended dogs with these are not bred. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

When internal organs slip through an umbilical hernia, the swelling tends to become larger very quickly and is very painful. That does not seem to be the case with Charlie which is good. Umbilical hernias are normally present at birth and should not develop later in life. This swelling also looks like it is a little higher than his umbilicus, so it may not be an umbilical hernia. Depending on what your vet thinks, they may perform a fine needle aspirate to collect a few cells and decide what it is and if anything needs to be done about it. If it is a benign mass, they may not recommend any treatment. If they think it may be a hernia or if they see any concerning cells, they may recommend surgery. Hopefully your vet appointment will put your mind at ease. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.