If your dog has a fever!!
The word “fever” is typically used to describe elevated body temperature caused by infection or inflammation. In an adult dog, a normal body temperature is between 38 and 39.2ºC (100º and 102.5ºF) . If your dog's temperature is anywhere above this average, as with humans, your dog has a fever. This can appear as a result of a serious disease of viral nature, such as parvovirus. In other cases, it may be due to a cold or it could be a symptom of hyperthermia. In any case, the temperature must be lowered to a normal level.
Although there are no definite signs, some symptoms that might indicate illness and fever in dogs include:Lethargy, Depressed mood, Shivering, Loss of appetite, Vomiting, Coughing and Nasal discharge
A variety of illnesses and conditions may make your dog run a fever. These include: Infection, Vaccination and Toxins.
Home remedy
1. It is important to keep your dog well hydrated as long as he has a fever. Encourage it to drink plenty of water, and if it refuses, you can prepare it some chicken broth! Just make sure you leave the chicken bones out, as they can be harmful to your pet. You should make sure that the water bowl is close to the spot your dog is resting so that he doesn't have to travel very far.
2. When a dog has fever, Feeding your dog a diet that's high in calories and nutrients is important for it to gain back its strength. If your dog refuses to eat solids, you can try feeding him some canned food or more chicken or beef broth.
If you're worried about your dog's diet, take a look at our article on what to give a dog with a fever for more specific information.
3. To refresh and cool down a dog with a fever, you can wet a sponge or cloth in lukewarm water and wipe the skin on its abdomen, armpits and groin. Remember to dry the wet parts - you can use the cold air from a hairdryer to do this.
4. If your dog has a high fever, one of the most used home remedies is to wash your dog in lukewarm water for two minutes maximum. It's very important not to exceed this time as its organism can fight against the stimuli produced by the water, increasing its temperature even more as well as producing a higher energetic expenditure in our dog, thus putting it in a difficult situation. Do not wash your dog with cold water.
This measure will help lower the fever if you can't immediately take your dog to the vet.
5. If the previous home remedies don't work for your dog's fever, another option is to place ice packs between your dog's back legs and head during a couple of minutes. It's not advisable for your dog to stay damp or wet during a long time as its situation could get worse, favoring a cold if it doesn't have one yet.
6. If after 24 hours your dog still has a fever, consult a veterinarian to find out the underlying cause of the fever. For a bacterial infection, vets will often prescribe oral antibiotics. Your vet may also prescribe oral administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Follow the directions of your veterinarian very closely and be sure to complete the entire course of the treatment. Not completing an entire course of antibiotics can lead to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Tips
If your dog is very young or very old, it is recommended to take him to the veterinarian immediately if he develops a fever. Very young puppies and very old dogs are more vulnerable to infections.
The word “fever” is typically used to describe elevated body temperature caused by infection or inflammation. In an adult dog, a normal body temperature is between 38 and 39.2ºC (100º and 102.5ºF) . If your dog's temperature is anywhere above this average, as with humans, your dog has a fever. This can appear as a result of a serious disease of viral nature, such as parvovirus. In other cases, it may be due to a cold or it could be a symptom of hyperthermia. In any case, the temperature must be lowered to a normal level.Although there are no definite signs, some symptoms that might indicate illness and fever in dogs include:Lethargy, Depressed mood, Shivering, Loss of appetite, Vomiting, Coughing and Nasal discharge
A variety of illnesses and conditions may make your dog run a fever. These include: Infection, Vaccination and Toxins.
Home remedy
1. It is important to keep your dog well hydrated as long as he has a fever. Encourage it to drink plenty of water, and if it refuses, you can prepare it some chicken broth! Just make sure you leave the chicken bones out, as they can be harmful to your pet. You should make sure that the water bowl is close to the spot your dog is resting so that he doesn't have to travel very far.
2. When a dog has fever, Feeding your dog a diet that's high in calories and nutrients is important for it to gain back its strength. If your dog refuses to eat solids, you can try feeding him some canned food or more chicken or beef broth.
If you're worried about your dog's diet, take a look at our article on what to give a dog with a fever for more specific information.
3. To refresh and cool down a dog with a fever, you can wet a sponge or cloth in lukewarm water and wipe the skin on its abdomen, armpits and groin. Remember to dry the wet parts - you can use the cold air from a hairdryer to do this.
4. If your dog has a high fever, one of the most used home remedies is to wash your dog in lukewarm water for two minutes maximum. It's very important not to exceed this time as its organism can fight against the stimuli produced by the water, increasing its temperature even more as well as producing a higher energetic expenditure in our dog, thus putting it in a difficult situation. Do not wash your dog with cold water.
This measure will help lower the fever if you can't immediately take your dog to the vet.
5. If the previous home remedies don't work for your dog's fever, another option is to place ice packs between your dog's back legs and head during a couple of minutes. It's not advisable for your dog to stay damp or wet during a long time as its situation could get worse, favoring a cold if it doesn't have one yet.
6. If after 24 hours your dog still has a fever, consult a veterinarian to find out the underlying cause of the fever. For a bacterial infection, vets will often prescribe oral antibiotics. Your vet may also prescribe oral administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Follow the directions of your veterinarian very closely and be sure to complete the entire course of the treatment. Not completing an entire course of antibiotics can lead to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Tips
If your dog is very young or very old, it is recommended to take him to the veterinarian immediately if he develops a fever. Very young puppies and very old dogs are more vulnerable to infections.
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