A new owner’s first encounter with dog fever is always memorable – few things are more shocking than finding a precious companion in the grips of a feverish nightmare.
If you have ever found yourself bargaining with a canine at three in the morning, begging “Please, just take a drink of water already!” then you definitely know the feeling.
Although there are plenty of claims that you can “diagnose” dog fever by feeling the pet’s nose, there are no outward signs that can indicate the presence or true severity of a fever; taking a dog’s temperature via rectal thermometer is generally recommended for owners anxious about the presence of a potentially dangerous fever.
The term “dog fever” can be used to describe practically any situation (excluding dog heat stroke) in which a canine’s internal body temperature is elevated, whereas 102.5°F (39.2°C) is technically the highest that a normal dog temperature should be when at rest.
When a canine’s body exceeds those temperatures by too much, all kinds of nasty things can happen.
When Dog Fever Symptoms Go Untreated
A slightly warm pet is usually no reason to worry.
However, a dog fever can be a sign of infection, inflammation, or disease, conditions that will require treatment. When a canine’s internal temperature approaches or exceeds 104°F (40°C), you not only have to worry about the cause of the fever, but the damage that the heat is doing to the organs and brain as well; vets consider 104° quite serious. A temperature that exceeds 106°F (41.1°C) is an emergency – seek dog fever treatment immediately.
There are a few important dog fever symptoms that, when combined with an elevated temperature, might require immediate treatment as well:
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- Shaking and shivering
- Signs of heatstroke
- Dehydration
- Seizures
- Unresponsiveness
Taking care of a dog with fever is never fun, but careful monitoring of temperatures and continuous communication with your vet are two very important steps to ensuring that complications do not throw an obstacle in the way of snuggles and games!
Can dogs have fevers that resolve themselves automatically?
Sometimes!
Fever strikes as a way for the body to fight off infection and bacteria, so an otherwise healthy dog might run a slight fever for a day and wake up refreshed and renewed the next. But don’t count on a high dog fever being harmless – especially if any other worrying symptoms are present.
If your dog isn’t feeling well and needs some tender loving dog care… monitor and take temperature at home to keep a tab on pup. Never think twice about consulting with your holistic vet. It’s always better to play it safe.
We always want the best for our pets, making it easy for a compassionate owner to feel intimidated or even frightened by the sudden and unexpected assault on a defenseless companion’s health by a mysterious bout of illness. But the more you know, the less there is to be worried about – after all, the most dangerous kind of dog fever is the kind that goes unnoticed.
Do you have any war stories about late nights or long days spent fighting dog fever?
Feel free to share your tips and comments below – it is always nice to hear from others that have overcome battles with fickle doggy temperatures.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
With moderate fever around 103°F Jasmine won’t show any particular signs. I am extremely watchful though.
Our horror story involved drug-induced hyperthermia
when Jasmine almost died. Her temperature went up to 42.5°C in no time flat! It was at the vet’s; after her x-ray when they gave her buprenorphine for pain. And just like that she was cooking. Her muscles got fried. Her blood got fried. Her liver shot. Spent a week at emergency hospital.
It is not usual that temperature would spike this high from “natural causes.” I am, however, extremely paranoid ever since.
We did armor ourselves with the rectal thermometer. She hates is a lot though. We got the ear thermometer for kids – I find that if I take multiple readings than the highest reading corresponds to the reading of the rectal thermometer. She tolerates the ear one much better. So when I suspect she might have high temperature I’ll do multiple readings with that first. If one of them is 103°F or higher then we confirm the situation with the rectal one.
Hi Jana and Jasmine,
That really sounds like a horror story … sigh … happy Jasmine got through it! That girl of yours is a ‘super-trooper’ LOL
When our baby girl was a pup we went through something similar and we thought that we were going to loose her. She went from a happy bouncy puppy to a dehydrated, lethargic, unwell pups in less than 24 hours. So scary! Since then we’ve been a bit more cautious with her in general.
We got hooked up with a rectal thermometer. If ever I see that she’s just not doing well we always check her temp, to her disapproval of course ;)
Have a super day!
Hugs n’ wags to you and Jasmine
Asia, yes, it was a horror story. That was the only time Jasmine was quite close to giving up. But she hasn’t.
Yes, I am very paranoid since also (though temperature that high normally doesn’t happen without “help”).
So sorry about your baby girl too, these things are horrible. Glad she too made it! What did cause the fever in her case?
Strong allopathic medicines may bring down one’s temperature fast, they often leave the patient feeling weak and drowsy. Home Remedies for Fever, on the other hand, deal with fever in a natural way.
Exactly!
Always try natural methods first.
Best!