Lumps, bumps, or swellings

Run your hands over the umbilical area and, on both sides, over the points where the inner thighs connect with the abdominal wall. Do you notice any soft, fluctuant masses? These could be herniations. Run you hands over the entire body surface, feeling for other types of lumps and bumps. Note the location of any you find. Does the belly seem distended (swollen)? If so, it could be full of food, or it could be full of worms. Check beneath the tail, looking for tapeworm segments and for evidence of diarrhea. Soiling on and around the hair in this area should tip you off to a potential intestinal disorder.