Fido is lying listless in his bed; not even the temptation of slobbering on Aunty Mavis is of interest to him; his food is untouched, he may not be drinking much and a nice “walkies” is completely out the question. His eyes are dull and his manner is depressed. What on earth is the matter with Fido? It is unlikely that he’s simply bored with his home life; it’s probably indicative that Fido might be ill; and these listless behavioural symptoms are a sign of fever.
Dog Fever
As with humans, feverishness is the body’s mechanism for dealing with infections, either bacterial, viral or through toxins. A human knows how feverish person feels to the touch, this is not always so obvious in a dog. For a start their temperature is slightly higher than that of a human: in a healthy dog it ranges somewhere between 37.8°C (100°F) and 39.3°C (102.7°F). They moderate their temperature differently: whereas we will sweat, the dog pants. Although Fido will normally feel hotter than a human if you touch his ears or his nose, in the case of a fever, he will feel hotter than usual.
Dog Fever
He may also be showing more serious signs of illness such as an itch which he’ll be scratching; he might find it painful to move; he may even have diarrhoea and vomiting. Unfortunately only a trained professional can tell by touching a dog if there is a fever; and even then they will know that the surest way of telling is with a thermometer.
Dog Fever
The usual method of taking a dog’s temperature with a thermometer is via the rectum. Obviously this will not be the most enjoyable experience for poor old Fido, particularly if he’s not feeling at his best. Insertion can be made easier by coating the thermometer with petroleum jelly.
A mild fever in dog, as well as in a human is not necessarily a bad thing: it helps to boost the immune system. If the temperature is slightly above 102°F, monitor Fido, and check again a little while later to see if it has altered. A mild fever should be allowed to clear up all by itself consult but a vet if in any doubt. Sometimes poop in the passage can give a false reading, so allow Fido to go before taking his temperature again. If Fido’s temperature increases to 105°F or above and it’s maintained at that level, this is much more serious and immediate attention should sort from a vet.
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