Table of Contents

How to tell if a dog has a fever

“Fever”, the word is actually associated with most of the diseases as a symptom. From mild influenza to appendicitis we all have been through this. But do animals particularly dogs exhibit the same features of a fever as we do? It can hard to tell if a dog has a fever. Why? The answer is obvious because they naturally have a higher body temperature than us. Therefore, to tell that they have a fever just by touching them as we do for humans will not do the trick. The following are the techniques mentioned to determine your dog’s temperature is not higher than usual so that it can be saved from catching a bigger disease.

Indicators of fever in the dogs:

The more likely option is to consider your vet always at first. But usually, the general symptoms are obvious for a dog to tell about his fever. These are less appetite, turning his face away from the treats, acting tired, will not move away from his bed or in general your dog will not behave like your dog in short.

Usually, the major indicator is the nose of the dog which is cool and wet in normal conditions whereas warm and dry in the condition of a fever. so How to tell if a dog has a fever?

Causes of fever in a dog:

To tell why if a dog has a fever? It is mainly due to these causes: Inflammation, Infection, Virus, an infected wound or eating of something harmful.

Sometimes fever is just caused by inflammation and not necessarily of infection. Even research published in the “Canadian Veterinary Journal” says that 48 out of 50 dogs had fever without an infection giving dominance to inflammation towards dog’s fever rather than infection.

However the following symptoms are of a major disease: vomiting, stomach distress, etc. indicating your dog can be affected by a virus.

Normal v/s high body temperature or fever:

A dog’s natural body temperature is generally higher than humans. Therefore, to tell if a dog has a fever can be complicated. The normal body temperature of a dog’s body is 102.5 F but in can fluctuate depending upon the outer circumstances. The temperature of 104.5 F can be considered as the upper limit of normal boy temperature. But if the temperature exceeds from it your dog then is definitely is suffering from a fever.

A temperature of 107.5 F can be considered a very high body temperature if the dog is in a natural environment. But if the dog is in an air-conditioned room his body temperature can be 107 F.

How to measure the fever?

How to tell if a dog has a fever? To tell if a dog has a fever you have to measure it from a thermometer. For this purpose, there are two thermometers: Rectal thermometer and Auricular thermometer.

Rectal thermometer takes the measurement from a dog’s anus. First, lubricate it well and insert half of an inch or the thermometer into the dog’s anus. It usually takes 30 seconds to determine the accurate reading.

Auricular thermometers are usually expensive but they are highly efficient. For it, you have to insert it into the horizontal-vertical canal of the ear and place it there for 30 seconds. It will get you the accurate reading.

What if someone does not have a thermometer?

It is not the best option to tell if a dog has a fever by touch but you can look for the following symptoms:

Warm or dry nose

Nose drainage

Ears very hot to touch

Swollen lobes in the armpit and also very hot to touch

Home treatment for a dog’s fever:

It is more appropriate to take your pet to a vet. But if it is having a mild fever it can be treated at home by taking the following measures:

Try to lower down the temperature of dog paws and ears by a cloth soaked in cold water.

Give water after few intervals to make sure the pup is well hydrated.

You should never give him human fever reducers like acetaminophen etc. as they are very toxic to them.

If you have more than one dog, isolate them from one another particularly if the disease is contagious. We don’t want another pup to catch the infection as well.
Give them a quite decent place to rest and recover.

Post behavior after a dog has recovered :

How to tell if a dog has a fever? To tell if a dog has a fever is important but to protect them from catching the same disease again is crucial. The temperature of 102.4 – 104.5 can be treated at home and your dog’s immune system can protect him as well because after recovering from a disease the body creates antibodies that protect the body from catching the same disease again. Moreover, it is also suggested to make sure your dog’s vaccines at appropriate times. read the complete article related to How to teach a dog to roll over

Unfortunately, if your dog is having a temperature of more than 104.5 F it can damage your dog’s organs and can risk its life. Therefore, try to take them to a vet as these situations cannot be handled by you at home. so How to tell if a dog has a fever

How to tell if a dog has a fever?

Many people ask this question that how to check the dog’s fever. There are few signs and symptoms that usually dog’s show when they have an illness:

redness of the eyes
lowering of energy
hot ears and nose
trembling or shivering
vomiting
wheezing
let me tell you a few of the causes that lead towards illness or fever in your dog;
infection or cuts
It may be due to Urinary tract infection
some viral diseases in dogs also cause fever
kidney infection
Intake of food that is poisonous can also be the cause of illness for example;
Some human medications or toxic plants

Question and answers

How to tell if a dog has a fever by touch?

As the dog’s natural human body is higher than humans therefore it cannot be easily guessed by a mere touch. Moreover, humans have skin whereas dogs have fur which cannot give you an accurate determination of the temperature. Use a rectal or auricular thermometer instead.

How to tell if a dog has a fever with a thermometer?

Rectal thermometer is less expensive and it takes measurement though the anus f the dog. Insert the thermometer after lubricating it for 30 seconds within anus about half an inch. The digital thermometer will indicate the reading.

Auricular thermometer is expensive and takes measurement through the ear canals. Insert thermometer within the horizontal canal for 30 seconds and it will mark the reading.

How to measure a dog’s fever without a thermometer?

It is not a better option to measure the fever without a thermometer but the following symptoms can be observed for a fever: Warm and dry nose, ears very hot to touch, tired, loss of appetite, lethargy, nasal drainage, swollen lobes in the armpit and ears very hot to touch.

How to determine if a dog has a fever?

If your dog is acting weird and moving away even from the treats and if you observed the symptoms mentioned above, take him to the vet.

What is the normal body temperature of the dog and a fevered temperature?

The normal body temperature of a dog’s body is 102.4 – 104.4 F. but it may fluctuate with the external environment. Your dog can have 107.4 F if he is sitting in an air-conditioned room. But in normal conditions, if your dog us having 106 F+ temperature he may be suffering from something very serious. This temperature can also damage it’s internal organs and may risk his life as well.

What to do if a dog has a fever?

To tell if a dog has a fever is ok then what? You have to treat it and for that purpose, you have to take him to the vet. But when the vet is not available try to lower down the temperature of his paws and ears with a cloth soaked in cold water.

How to tell if a dog has fever?

Many people out there still use the classical diagnosis method for “How to tell if a dog has fever”, by checking his nose. If the nose is wet and cold then the dog is okay but if the nose is hot and dry then the dog is suffering from the fever. There is nothing wrong in this method but there are certain several other factors involved which tell us if a dog has fever or not.

As dogs cant speak that they have a fever, so you should yourself look out for the reasons which must be the symptoms of a fever: