Signs that our dog should see a veterinarian
The main sign that you should seek guidance from a veterinarian is if you notice that your dog’s occiput has gotten larger or more noticeable, especially for a longer period of time. Other signs that you should see a vet include:
Dog occiput: what is that bump on your dog’s head?
The occiput, or occipital bone, takes its name from the Latin word for “back of the skull.” It’s the part of the skull that connects to your dog’s neck and acts as a passage for their spinal cord, allowing your dog to move their head in relation to their spine.
The size of the occiput will depend on your dog’s breed. Some dog breeds will have a pronounced occiput that’s easy to feel through the skin of their head, while others will have a smaller bump. Hounds, for example, are known for having a pronounced occiput.
Because the bump is a part of your dog’s skull, it should remain around the same size throughout your dog’s life unless there’s a medical issue.
In case you were wondering, theres an anatomical term for that bump on the dogs head: its called formally called the “occiput.”
As mentioned, all dogs have an occiput but it is more pronounced in certain dogs than others.
Also known as “occipital protuberance” this bony triangular projection of the skull is located at the back of the head, in the lower-back area of the cranium.
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What’s That Bump on Top of a Dog’s Head?
Dogs have a bump on their head for the simple fact that thats what Mother Nature wanted them to have. Discover more about that prominent bump.
Some dogs have a bump on their head that is more pronounced than in other dogs and this may trigger curiosity in dog owners.
There are dogs with small heads, dogs with large heads, and then, there are some dogs with a prominent bump on the head.
Before understanding why dogs have a bump on the head, its important to clarify something: all dogs have a bump on their head, only that in some dogs the bump is more noticeable than in others.
The bump in question is a skeletal bump that dogs have all their lives and thats normal part of their anatomy.
Were therefore not talking about any unusual lumps or bumps that dogs may get on their heads.
If your dog develops any new suspicious lumps or bumps on his head, please see your veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Pluto isnt the only dog with a bump on his head, turns out many dogs have it and theyre not part of a Disney cartoon.
Some dog owners proudly call the bump on their dogs head the “smart bump” because in the olden days, dogs blessed with this bump were thought to be more intelligent, and the more pronounced the bump, the smarter the dog.
Other names for the bump include: knowledge knot, brain bump and wisdom bump. Some even call it “stoll.”
Regardless of what its called, it is important to debunk some ancient myths that have been going on for quite some time.
In case you were wondering, theres an anatomical term for that bump on the dogs head: its called formally called the “occiput.”
Also known as “occipital protuberance” this bony triangular projection of the skull is located at the back of the head, in the lower-back area of the cranium.
One important function of the occipital bone is to provide protection to the brain along with other bones forming the skull.
As mentioned, all dogs have an occiput but it is more pronounced in certain dogs than others.
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Possibly, this gave rise to another old common belief once popular in dog folklore, suggesting that the bump was also an indicator of a superior sense of smell.
The occipital protuberance can also be seen in some sporting dog breeds such as golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers and English setters.
An occiput that appears more prominent than usual may at times be an indicator of a health problem.
While during puberty this bone may appear more prominent, normally the occiput shouldnt undergo any major changes throughout the dogs life.
Two main issues may be seen with the dogs occiput. The occiput appearing larger due to swelling of the muscles or presence of masses, or the occiput appearing larger because the dog is losing muscle mass.
While rather rare, there are also chances that dogs may develop tumors in the area such as multilobular tumors of bone (MTB).
It can be challenging at times for dog owners to differentiate whether a bump on a dogs head is actual bone or some type of skin growth. Theres an easy little test though that can be carried out.
If the bump is part of skin, then you should be able to move it around a little, while if it is bone, and therefore, it is part of your dogs skull, you should not be able to move it at all, points out veterinarian Dr. Gabby
According to Neuro Pet Vet, a medical condition known as “masticatory myositis” may cause the occipital protuberance to become increasingly visible because the dogs muscles undergo atrophy.
Other than a more prominent bump on the head, masticatory myositis causes pain upon opening the mouth, trouble chewing and a decrease in appetite.
Did you know? The occiput has several nerve endings and is an area that gets attention from canine therapeutic massage specialists.
Maryjean Ballner, a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist, suggests massaging the occipital bump in her book “Dog Massage: A Whiskers-to-Tail Guide to Your Dogs Ultimate Petting Experience.”