Have you ever wondered which organ does a dog not have? Do you know there are currently about 5,500 identified mammal species, grouped into approximately 1,200 genera, 200 families and 25 orders? All mammals share some key anatomical quirks, ranging from the seemingly minor to the obviously not-so-minor.

However, have you ever wondered despite size differences, other mammals also have the similar anatomy as humans?

All mammals have the same biological systems in approximately the same places in differing bodies; varying sizes and shapes commonly being the only distinguishing features.

Dogs are mammals and are known as human’s best friend but do dogs have the same organs as humans?

Keep reading to find out some interesting fact about your little one.

Which Organ Does a Dog Not Have?

Before we try and figure out which organ does a dog not have, we first have to clear one thing! The gross anatomy of a dog and a human consists of a set of biological systems like the:

  • skeletal and integumentary
  • digestive
  • muscular
  • lymphatic and endocrine
  • cardiovascular and circulatory
  • respiratory
  • nervous
  • urinary
  • male and female reproductive system

Each system consists of organs, glands and blood vessels that work together in the animal’s body to support particular functions.

Humans and dogs share the same molecular and cellular structures, with major differences showing only in physiology, organs, and systems.

Among the many similarities between the human and the dog’s organs, the appendix is an exception. Do dogs have an appendix?

No, they don’t.

What is appendix and what is its role in our body? 

An appendix is a thin tube in the lower right abdomen. It sits where the small intestine meets the large intestine. According to some theories, it’s an evolutionary holdover that provides no benefits to the health.

Other theories proved that the appendix acts as a storehouse for good bacteria, rebooting the digestive system after diarrhea. The Bacteria in the appendix re-inoculate the colon with healthy bacteria after the ‘flood’ is over.

The appendix does get attention usually because it becomes infected and causes Appendicitis. Appendicitis typically starts with a pain in the middle of the abdomen and some symptoms such as intense abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or fever will follow.

These symptoms may appear in dogs, but they’re most likely from something else, not a vulnerable appendix. In most cases of appendicitis, the appendix needs to be surgically removed as soon as possible.

However, people are advised to remove it before it gets flamed and turns deadly.

And dogs don’t have Appendix! So no Appendix, no Appendicitis! No Appendicitis, no Surgery! Such a relief, isn’t it? Dogs are lucky for not having the appendix. Are there any other organs?

No Appendix is the only organ a dog doesn’t have but a human does.

Canine Anatomy 101: Which organ replaces the Appendix in Dogs?

Since the dog doesn’t have an appendix, it has a replacement organ called caecum. Do you know caecum is the reason why your dogs eat grass sometimes?

It is an intraperitoneal pouch that is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine. It hosts a large number of bacteria, which aid in the enzymatic breakdown of plant materials such as cellulose and it also stores probiotics.

Thanks to this, severe diarrhea as well as other intestine diseases are lessened. The caecum of herbivores is much larger than the caecum of omnivores. These animals consume more cellulose and water, making a larger caecum necessary for effective digestion.

However, most mammalian omnivores like dogs have a relatively small caecum as they consume less cellulose. Partially digested food enters the cecum through the ileocecal valve, which is normally closed.

The valve occasionally opens to allow food material in. As there is only one opening to the caecum, food must move in and out to the cecum through the same opening.

Dog Anatomy Organs: Is the Caecum harmful?

Well, a Caecum is just an organ and like other dog organs it also gets affected by some internal factors and easily attacked by several external factors such as the poisonous food and polluted water. The problem can be diagnosed by some symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.

The intestinal worms take over the nutrients moving into the guts and cause irritation. However, before becoming your dogs own vet, kindly give a visit to any professional.

These symptoms can also be seen because of a viral infection in the intestinal tract called ‘Reovirus’. This infection in dogs is a contagious illness caused by a virus from the Reoviridae family, leading to severe stomach and intestinal suffering by the infected dog.

The illness commonly manifests with signs of vomiting, pneumonia. Once developing, this will create an inflammation leading to the disease.

So, as the caecum problems appear and grow in a complex way, you’d better take your dog to the vet. Also, make sure to feed the dogs with safe food and pure water to prevent the diseases.

Would you like to know more about your furry ones? Besides appendix and caecum, there are some anatomical differences between you and your dog.

  • An average human has 10,000 taste buds while dogs have about 1700 taste buds clustered around the tip of the canine tongue. The taste buds allow dogs to detect sweet, bitter, sour and salty tastes.
  • Did you know a dog’s mental abilities are close to those of a human child aged 2-2.5 yrs?
  • Humans have 206 bones in their body while dogs have 320 (depending on the tail and dew claws).
  • Humans have 26 pairs of chromosome while dogs have 78 pairs.
  • In dogs, raw food takes 4-6 hours to digest while dry food takes 10-12 hours. On the other hand, humans take 1-2 hours to digest food.
  • Humans have a total visual field of only 180 degrees while most dogs have a visual field of 250 degrees.
  • The average human sleeps for 7-9 hrs while dogs sleep for 12 hours.