Does a pointy head mean health problems?
While a large, pointy, occiput in young puppies is not necessarily a cause for concern, there are some health concerns that can be associated with a pronounced occiput.
If you notice any large changes in the occiput, or you find any additional bumps on the dog’s head, it’s definitely cause for concern. The changes that occur around the occiput in an adolescent puppy should not be drastic.
There are several conditions that cause the occiput to appear more pronounced, especially those that cause a degradation of the muscles that attach to the occiput.
One of those conditions is called masticatory muscle myositis. This condition, also known as MMM, is an autoimmune disorder.
In MMM, the dog’s body thinks that the muscles in the jaw are foreign, and doesn’t recognize it as its own. As these muscles are attacked by the body, they become swollen, painful, and can waste away.
The breeds prone to masticatory muscle myositis also happen to be some of the breeds prone to a large and pointy occiput as puppies, including:
This condition can also be found in puppies as young as 4 months, although the average case of MMM is diagnosed closer to 3 years of age.
Not only will dogs with MMM have a pronounced occiput, due to the lack of muscle, but other symptoms are common.
Dogs with MMM will often have an inability to open their mouth and extreme pain in their face. While these symptoms are common to MMM, the official diagnosis occurs through a muscle biopsy or a blood test.
Diagnosed early, MMM is treatable. This is one of the reasons that you should take your puppy to the veterinarian if you notice changes in them or their structure, including the pain associated with MMM.
If you are choosing a puppy and it has an odd-shaped head, it’s also worth a vet visit before purchasing the puppy. A responsible breeder should have no problem with you taking the puppy to your own veterinarian for an exam, if they haven’t already had the puppy in themselves.
Do you want to read about playing rough with your puppy and if it’s OK? Read our post about it here.
What Causes a Pointy Head Puppy?
The bump on the back of a puppy’s head that causes them to look like a pointy head puppy is officially known as the occiput. This part of the skull is present in all dogs, although it isn’t as noticeable in all breeds.
In the majority of cases, a pronounced occiput is perfectly normal in a growing puppy.
The purpose of the occiput is to protect your puppy’s skull. This bone actually connects to your dog’s neck, as it runs down the back of your puppy’s head.
Even though this part of your dog is called the occiput, it is colloquially called a variety of names. Some of these names include:
Not only is the occiput responsible for protecting your dog’s head, but it contains a lot of nerve endings associated with the fight or flight system as well. Because of this, it’s a common spot to focus on in canine massage.
There is also some evidence that the occipital region of a dog’s head is more pronounced in male dogs than in female dogs, particularly the protuberance and crest that are noticeable visually.
Besides protecting your dog’s head, the crest of the occiput provides a region for a variety of muscles in your dog’s head to easily attach. These muscles help extend and rotate their head.
There are breeds more prone to pointy heads or cone shaped heads. Two of the breeds that most commonly have a pronounced occiput are:
As puppies, Labrador Retrievers and Boxers go through a variety of changes as they grow. Sometimes, that includes having a large occipital protuberance that looks like an awkward cone shape on the top of their head.
In the majority of cases, this is something that goes away with age. However, if you are concerned, you can absolutely have your veterinarian take a look at your puppy.
Sometimes, you’ll notice the large occiput even in a very young puppy, only a few weeks old. Other times, the point appears larger as your puppy is a few months old and growing.
In either case, you’ll likely see your puppy’s head even out and appears more normal by the time they are 7-10 months old.
While Labrador Retriever and Boxer puppies are two of the breeds most commonly known for sometimes having a cone shaped head as puppies, other dogs can be affected as well.
Other breeds prone to a puppy head bump can include:
Occiputs are also easy to see in many dogs with long noses, such as Collies, Doberman Pinschers, and German Shepherd Dogs.
Can a dog’s occiput get bigger?
Your dog’s occiput should stay the same size throughout their life, with the exception of during adolescence when they start to mature. The bump could temporarily appear larger while your dog’s body is still growing and they’re going through skeletal development.
For small dog breeds, they’ll likely reach maturity at 6 to 8 months, while larger dog breeds can take up to 18 to 24 months to fully develop.
If your dog has reached maturity and you see that their occiput has changed size, it could mean that your dog has lost muscle mass around the back of their skull. There are a variety of conditions that can cause muscle atrophy, including cancer, so it’s important to contact your vet right away.
Because some breeds have a more pronounced occiput, it’s also possible for your dog to hit or injure that part of their skull more regularly, resulting in bruises. If your dog gets a bruise on that area of their skull, it can also make the occiput appear to be bigger.
What’s That Bump on Top of a Dog’s Head?
If you’ve spent any time at all petting your Labrador’s head, you’ve probably noticed that it has a prominent bump near the back of its head. Although all dogs have one of these bumps, it is particularly noticeable on Labradors.
Why do Labradors have a bump on their head? Labradors have a bump on their head because of a bone called the occiput, which is Latin for “back of the skull”. This bone protrudes from a Labrador’s head and exists primarily to protect the Labrador’s skull and brain.
While it might just seem like a boring bump on the back of your Labrador’s head, the occiput is actually pretty fascinating in regards to the evolution of dogs, mythological history, and therapeutic massage.
If you’d like to learn everything there is to know about this weird, interesting skull bone on your Labrador’s head, read on.