# female dog anatomy question



## jaupro

ok...not to sound stupid.. but something i have always wondered but too embarrassed to ask my vet... but what is that acorn shaped part kinda close to where the penis would be if it was a boy???


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## spotted nikes

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Anatomy_and_Physiology_of_Animals/Reproductive_System


It's the vulva.


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## CareBearStare

Haha, it's a vulva. You'd be surprised by how many people don't know. There are people that come into the shelter all the time thinking it's a penis  

They're positive they're looking at a male dog/puppy. Most of them get really embarrassed when they're corrected, but quite a few actually fight me on it, convinced I have no idea what I'm talking about.


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## jaupro

CareBearStare said:


> Haha, it's a vulva. You'd be surprised by how many people don't know. There are people that come into the shelter all the time thinking it's a penis
> 
> They're positive they're looking at a male dog/puppy. Most of them get really embarrassed when they're corrected, but quite a few actually fight me on it, convinced I have no idea what I'm talking about.


at that moment I would turn the dog around and show the person their backside and say "do male dog's have 2 buttholes?"


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## ioreks_mom

I could be wrong, but the vulva on a female is not really close to where the penis is on a male. If you were talking cats, then yes, it is in the same place, but not in a dog!

I had a friend who thought the puppy she was holding had a big belly button!  Haha! I grew up with male dogs so I knew, but she only had one dog ever at that point and she was a girl.


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## jaupro

ioreks_mom said:


> I could be wrong, but the vulva on a female is not really close to where the penis is on a male. If you were talking cats, then yes, it is in the same place, but not in a dog!
> 
> I had a friend who thought the puppy she was holding had a big belly button!  Haha! I grew up with male dogs so I knew, but she only had one dog ever at that point and she was a girl.


it's a few inches offon a large dog...for someone who doesnt know the dog anatomy that well this could be prety close to the same place.


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## SillyTilly

I have an even more naive question. Where is the vulva in relation to the anus? Above it or below it?


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## Kayota

Er... below it... lol


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## lil_fuzzy

CareBearStare said:


> Haha, it's a vulva. You'd be surprised by how many people don't know. There are people that come into the shelter all the time thinking it's a penis
> 
> *They're positive they're looking at a male dog/puppy*. Most of them get really embarrassed when they're corrected, but quite a few actually fight me on it, convinced I have no idea what I'm talking about.


So I guess this explains where a lot of accidental litters come from? If you're convinced your dog is male, you're not gonna be careful around other male dogs. I'm amazed that people don't know what a male dog looks like though. A cat, sure, but male/female dogs are totally different.


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## SillyTilly

Kayota said:


> Er... below it... lol


Aw c'mon, so I'm clueless on female dog anatomy. But thanks just the same for answering my question.


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## Fade

Cough cough ok here goes. basic dog anatomy in case anyone else is wondering. WITH PICTURES! ( I can't believe Im posting these ! )

Male dogs the penis is on the stomach. and the scrotum is below the anus between the legs. Many male dogs are neutered and may not have any scrotum that you can see.





























Female dog

The females Vulva is below the anus visible from the back side of the dog.


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## Willowy

lil_fuzzy said:


> So I guess this explains where a lot of accidental litters come from? If you're convinced your dog is male, you're not gonna be careful around other male dogs. I'm amazed that people don't know what a male dog looks like though. *A cat, sure*, but male/female dogs are totally different.


 I can see having a hard time telling the difference between male and female kittens, and females and neutered males. . .but if someone can't tell that an adult unneutered tom is a male. . .LOL. Someone actually had me come identify the stray cat she found, and, well.


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## lil_fuzzy

Willowy said:


> I can see having a hard time telling the difference between male and female kittens, and females and neutered males. . .but if someone can't tell that an adult unneutered tom is a male. . .LOL. Someone actually had me come identify the stray cat she found, and, well.


Personally I have no trouble telling cats apart, I grew up with loads of cats. I do know that a lot of people struggle with it though.


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## hdptbl

I have a silly question. The female dog has a yukky slimmy discharge... How can you tell if it is from the bladder or the female reproductive tract? Do both empty into the vulva, or can you see the two looking at your female. I hated to ask that and fill really silly. I have worked in a vetrinarian clinic and owned dogs all my life, but never even thought of it. My female is 13 and was in heat last December for the first time in years. She has had problems ever since, but now she has a fowl smelling urine and seems to have problems holding it. Has a discharge that is yukky... now she even drips. Last month she was bleeding as if she was in heat. I am scared she may have cancer or something and pray it is just an infection and she can be spayed if it is a female thing.


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## Willowy

You'd better get her to the vet ASAP. Pyometra is not a thing you want to wait on.


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## hdptbl

I was wondering if that might be what she has... She eats real well still tries to play with the other dogs, no fever, doesn't seem to be in any pain. That is what is so confusing. She doesn't act like anything is wrong with her. She had to have an emergency c-section about 10 yrs ago. I thought we had spayed her then, but remembered we decided to wait. I am thinking it may be a bladder problem. She goes to the vet in the morning.


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## Fade

at her age it could be anything. A lot of concerning things but it could be as innocent as a bladder problem. I think when you go to the vet in the morning if your REALLY concerned do what they suggest. Xrays / bloodwork will give you a good idea if its concerning or not.


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## lforrest0913

> I have a silly question. The female dog has a yukky slimmy discharge... How can you tell if it is from the bladder or the female reproductive tract? *Do both empty into the vulva, or can you see the two looking at your female.* I hated to ask that and fill really silly. I have worked in a vetrinarian clinic and owned dogs all my life, but never even thought of it.


The vulva refers to the entire cone area of the female. Both the openings to the vagina and urethra are located within it. If you pulled apart the lips of the vulva while the dog was standing normally, the opening to the vagina would be above the opening to the urethra. (Same as human anatomy - many people wrongly refer to the entirety of a woman's genitals as her vagina, when really the whole external package is the vulva and the vagina is just one cavity within it.)


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## hdptbl

Thank you so much, that is what I was wanting to know. I thought so, but was not sure. My old dog is on Keflex and goes in to see the vet on Monday.


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