What is Fever?
Symptoms of Fever in Dogs
Although your pet can have a fever with no symptoms, some symptoms are often present with a fever, including:
- Lethargy
- Shivering
- Loss of appetite
- Rapid heart rate
- Dehydration
- Panting
- Vomiting
- Coughing
- Nasal Discharge
Causes of Fever in Dogs
Causes of high temperature in dogs can include:
- Infection – The body is designed to increase in temperature when infection is present. Many bacteria, viruses and fungi are heat sensitive and cannot survive at the higher body temperature.
- Inflammation/allergic response – Fever can be associated with these.
- Toxins – Consuming come poison materials may result in fever.
- Medication – Some medications may elevate body temperature
- Vaccination – As with infection, the body’s immune system will often respond to vaccination with a low grade fever. This fever may last up to 48 hours after vaccination.
- Fever of Unknown Origin – Sometimes the cause of fever cannot be determined. This is often the case with immune system abnormalities, blood and bone marrow disorders and cancer.
Diagnosis of Fever in Dogs
In order to determine your pet’s body temperature, you will need a thermometer. Digital thermometers that are specifically designed for rectal use are available at most pet stores. Human thermometers are not designed to measure the higher body temperature of dogs and are not as accurate.
To take rectal temperature, rub a bit of baby oil, vegetable oil or petroleum jelly on the end for lubricant. Gently insert the thermometer one inch into the anus. Wait for the thermometer to signal it is finished reading.
The veterinarian will need a history of the pet’s symptoms, any medications, recent events and any allergies. A physical examination will look for swollen lymph nodes, abdominal swelling, pain in the joints, and other signs of infection or systemic abnormalities.
Laboratory diagnostics that can be useful in determining cause of fever include a complete blood cell count, biochemistry profile and urinalysis. These tests examine the function of the metabolic and endocrine systems and can indicate infections or other causes of elevate body temperature.
Radiographs can identify abnormalities in organ systems, cancer, or infections.
Treatment of Fever in Dogs
If your pet has a fever greater than 103ºF (39.4ºC) you will need to have a veterinarian examine him. A body temperature at or above 106ºF (41.1ºC) should be considered a medical emergency.
You can help bring your pets temperature down by wiping his paw pads and ears with a cool wet washcloth. You may also wrap ice packs in a towel and place it against his chest and abdomen. A fan to supply cool air is useful as well.
Never treat your dog with human medicines without the instruction of a veterinarian. Aspirin and acetaminophen are toxic to dogs.
Your veterinarian will use the information gathered from the pet’s history, physical examination and diagnostic tests to decide the course of treatment. Intravenous fluids will aid in hydration and electrolyte balance. Antibiotics are prescribed to treat infection. In some cases, additional medications and/or surgery may be required to treat the underlying condition.
Recovery of Fever in Dogs
Be sure to monitor your pet’s temperature at home and report any increase in body temperature or failure of the pet to respond to treatment to your veterinarian. Follow the instructions for treatment and medication administration carefully. Be sure your pet is getting adequate water, food and rest. If possible, keep your pet separate from children and other pets while he rests and recovers.
Never treat fever with human drugs unless directed by your veterinarian. Home treatment for fever can worsen the condition or lead to life-threatening conditions.
Fever Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Has Symptoms
Our golden retriever just started showing symptoms of not feeling well in the last 2-3 days. Took temperature rectally today with digital thermometer and got a reading of 103.2
Should I take him in to see our Vet or should I wait to see if symptoms subside?
1201 Recommendations
Depending on the literature, rectal temperature of a dog is between 100 - 103ºF, taking into account tolerances of different thermometers, the results may fall half a degree either side. With Indie’s other symptoms, I would recommend visiting your Veterinarian in the morning if the symptoms haven’t subsided. In the meantime, ensure that he remains hydrated and comfortable. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
My dog has 105f fever dr give him injection n medicine but all in vain plzz help me
Add a comment to Indie's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Dear Sir
My Female Pupp Labrador Age 1 month Last Night She was little lazy and not eating Properly So What I do now I checked dog fever 99.6 Show So Pls tell me about Solution
1201 Recommendations
If anything, your dog is cold (slightly). Normal dog rectal temperature is approx 100 – 104ºF (38 - 40ºC), humans have the normal body temperature of 97 - 100ºF (36 - 38ºC); remember that different thermometers will have different accuracies and different methods of measurement will give different results (for example; skin temperature is usually lower than rectal temperature). Try to keep her warm and encourage her to eat. If she still isn’t eating after a day or remains lethargic, take her to her Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Maddy's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
hi there, my dog is sleepy all the time and she didn't eat ? she is 2 months? what should I do? The temperature is approx 104 but I have measured with human thermometer..
1201 Recommendations
Different sources online give different ranges for temperature which may be confusing for dog owners, also the accuracy of the thermometer may also have a bearing. Generally 40ºC is the highest temperature of physiological range defined in Veterinary Textbooks. Your dog may or not have a fever depending on the criteria above. Lethargy may be a symptom of a variety of different conditions: trauma, pain, metabolic disease, poisoning, cancer, hypothyroidism, infections or a side effect of other medication. A physical examination by your Veterinarian would help to diagnose the cause of the lethargy. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Samoyed's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Hi, my 7 y/o maltipoo was lethargic and not eating. Took her to the vet. She has a temp of 105 but on IV antibiotics it has varied from normal to 103. She's been in the hospital for 2 nights. Blood results and x-rays are normal. Now they want to do a L-P &MRI. Isn't that a bit aggressive?
1201 Recommendations
Normal range of body temperature in dogs is between 100 - 103ºF (or 104 ºF depending on the literature) giving dogs a higher body temperature in humans that lead some owners to wrongly diagnose fever in their pets. Fever may be cause by infection, inflammation, immune-mediated disease or cancer. Usually from a regular physical examination and basic blood tests, the cause of the fever can be found and treated; if a cause cannot be found then it is classified as a Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO) and further diagnostic tests like a lumbar puncture or further imaging studies like an MRI would be the next step in the diagnostic process. Having not examined Precious or seen her test results I am unable to comment on the suitability of these additional diagnostic tests. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Prescious's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
My 3yr old lhasa apso has not been eating the past couple of days. He just smells and nibbles a little. I checked his temp using a human thermometer, reading was 40.7C. Yesterday it was 39.6C. He's always sleeping, lethargic and shivering at times. I tried wiping his ears and paws with towel soaked in cold water. Do i need to bring him to the vet asap?
1201 Recommendations
The normal rectal temperature for a dog is around 37-39ºc (depending on the source of reference). An elevation of body temperature (fever) may be caused by a few different causes including infection (most common), inflammation, poisoning, organ failure, increase in ambient air temperature (including heat stroke) or idiopathic (fever of unknown origin). I would highly recommend visiting your Veterinarian for an examination to determine the cause of the fever and to ensure Mochiko remains hydrated and receives treatment. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Mochiko's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Edit
My dog is a pure blood beagle and is about 10 years old. Her body temperature is 104 degrees, she is lethargic and won't eat anything at all. No she has not vomited or had uncontrollable urination or defecation, at least yet to my knowledge. She has been like this for over a week, and she hasn't improved. What is going on? I'm very worried!
1201 Recommendations
There are various causes for fever including infections, inflammation, heatstroke or fever of unknown origin; given the length of time since these symptoms started the possible causes, it would be best to visit your Veterinarian or an Emergency Veterinarian immediately as a physical examination and possibly some tests would be required to determine the cause. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Kendall's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
Hello my dog has been in the vets for a few days with high tempature he can hardly get up and when he does he has to lay back down a minute or two later they said they cant find anything else wrong with him and i dont know what we can do please help i dont want him to die
1201 Recommendations
When the cause of a fever cannot be determined, it is labelled as a fever of unknown origin (FUO); the treatment of fever of unknown origin is fluid therapy, antibiotics and pain management. Causes of fever of unknown origin may be due to immune system disorders, tumours or inflammatory response. Bringing down the temperature is important and may be carried out with cooling fans or running intravenous fluid tubes through ice water before entering the vein. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
My sister's German Pinscher has a fever which comes and goes, this has gone on for approximately 3 weeks. He has a history of anal gland infections and was treated with antibiotics. The vet said he was clear again, but the fever didn't subside. He suddenly had lumps come up all over his back and sides along with changes in his hair, becoming rough and sticking up a little. He spent 4 days in the veterinary hospital. He was given intravenous fluids and more antibiotics. He began knuckling over with his front right paw, he doesn't want to put weight on it. He also walks stiffly with his back legs. Again this came on suddenly and continuous fluctuations in Temperature. This has ranged from 103 to over 105. His vet diagnosed him with pancreatitis, swollen spleen and swollen liver. Radio graphs showed minimal arthritis in the top of the hip area and the swollen spleen and liver. Everything else was normal. He is eating and drinking a little, also he goes outside but doesn't walk around much. He has a hard time getting down the steps and back up, trying to not put weight on his front right paw, which knuckles over. His vet said he was a hard case. She did extensive blood work which showed the pancreatitis. He cries. We don't have enough money for an MRI and the neurologist consult I am afraid this might be cancer. He is 10 years old.
Add a comment to Harv's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
my shitzu had a fever and her stomach was really swollen and hard. She threw up a couple times but is still eating. She keeps panting. Not sure what this can be. It happened suddenly
1201 Recommendations
Normal range of body temperature in dogs is between 100 - 103ºF; some people use the normal body temperature in humans which is lower than in dogs, but if Crystal’s temperature is above 103ºF you should have her examined by her Veterinarian. One of the main concerns is if Crystal isn’t spayed is that she may have a closed pyometra which is a medical emergency requiring surgery (uterine stump pyometra may occur in spayed females); other causes include gastroenteritis, cancer, poisoning or idiopathic causes (FUO – fever of unknown origin). Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Crystal's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
my 10 year old pug has a fever 104.9, is being treated with cipro, has similar symptoms at the end of october with no known cause and a WBC of 40000, has had 2 seizures lasting less than 20 seconds a piece this time
1201 Recommendations
The symptoms of head tilt and seizure may be due to trauma, brain infection, brain tumours, liver disease, poisoning and parasites; the increased white blood cells and fever would be indicative of infection, poisoning or a severe inflammatory process. It is possible that Wednesday is suffering an immune system disorder that may affect the bone marrow production of blood cells and may cause the neurological system. A bone marrow aspirate would be good to detect any abnormalities. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to wednesday's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
My puppy nala is roughly 4-5 months old has revived her first two parvo shots & is on her 2 dose of dewormer, I took her to the vet this afternoon worried due to her change in mood from being a very hyper puppy to now being very lethargic and lazy. My first thought was she is just still adjusting to her new home, but just to be safe I wanted her tested for parvovirus and test came back negative which I had a feeling it would because she didn't have any symptoms other than being lethargic & it has been going on for roughly two weeks, then after the veterinarian checked and noticed her temperature was at 104.1 & prescribed her antibiotics. She's not dehydrated and she is eating pretty good Her stool is normal and no change in urine. What are some other warning signs to keep an eye out for, & how often should I check her temperature?
1201 Recommendations
A temperature of 104.1°F is only a mild elevation above the normal physiological range; fever may occur due to infection, allergies, reaction after vaccination, poisoning or fever of unknown origin. Keeping an eye on his temperature would be useful to make sure that it doesn’t increase; other symptoms that maybe concerning are abdominal pain, loss of appetite, vomiting (with or without blood) or diarrhoea (with or without blood). Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Nala's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
She had just mated weeks before with my other dog, and two days earlier we found her to have lost energy and appetite. We don't hae precise measurement of her fever but when we put our hands on her head and stomach, it is way hotter than the others who are still actively wondering around. I have committed a mistake of feeding it some human medication because I had not known about how toxic it was, what can I do to help it reduce the fever? She also seemed to have lost her will to drink water. How should I go about this problem? Any solution would be very helpful. Thank you.
1201 Recommendations
A problem that some pet owners make is assuming that all human medicine is safe for their pets; when a dog or cat has a fever, some owners will give baby aspirin which is perfectly safe (as long as it is plain baby aspirin) at a dose of no more than 10mg/lb body weight. The mistake is made when owners give Tylenol to their pets which can lead to liver failure and destruction of red blood cells which can lead to death; if you gave any dangerous human medicine to Vibi it is essential that you visit your Veterinarian immediately so that symptomatic and supportive treatment maybe given. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
https://www.vetary.com/dog/condition/acetaminophen-toxicity
Add a comment to Vibi's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
Hello, I have a one year old male maltese who weighs approximately 10lbs (not overweight at all, just larger boned). He had one episode of watery diarrhea with visible blood. His temperature was 103.2 rectally. He was acting more tired than normal since he is normally very energetic. At bedtime I normally give him a dental stick that he munches on prior to falling asleep. When I offered it to him, he would not take it which is completely opposite than usual. I took him to the emergency vet and took a small sample of the diarrhea with me. After waiting forever in a not busy office to be seen, the vet tech stuck her finger up his bottom instead of using the sample I brought. She didn't even look at the sample I brought. Needless to say, I was told that it showed nothing but some blood. They gave me a prescription for Flagyl and a probiotic. I requested an anti-nausea shot as well as some fluids be administered as a reserve. The total assessment was like 3 minutes. She felt his tummy a bit and done. His temp at the vets office was 102.5. He has not pooped at all since the one and only episode however he continues to act sick by sleeping a lot and not wanting to eat hardly at all. He has had 2 doses of the antibiotic now. This is worrying me that the vet did not take enough time or run enough tests to correctly diagnose him and $300 later my usually very spirited and full of life buddy is not getting any better. His temp has fluctuated today between 102.5 and 103.4. I have a fan going and I occasionally wipe his paws with a cold rag. I have managed to get him to eat about 1/2 of some food today and he is taking small drinks of water. His gums are pink and moist. I did notice that he had an extra wet nose at one point that I wiped because it had a drip on it. I am a registered nurse so I understand treatment may take some time to help. I also know dogs are way different than people. I appreciate any insight or direction you can give.
One additional note: My daughters 10 week old Newfydoodle was diagnosed last week with a bacterial imbalance and was having diarrhea. She did not have a fever and was acting fine. Not sure if related at all. She was seen by our normal vet but since it was late at night and now the weekend I had to take mine to a vet hospital.
1201 Recommendations
Bear in mind that a dog’s physiological temperature is higher than that of a human (see Merck link below) so the temperature is slightly high. Diarrhoea with blood may be caused by a few different conditions as I am sure you are aware as many are shared with human medicine including colitis, foreign bodies, parasites, infections, tumours and poisoning; Flagyl (metronidazole) is an all round antibiotic and anti protozoan which is a good initial course of action, but further investigation may be required. Given the small size of a Maltese (small or big boned) it is relatively easy to palpate the whole abdomen for masses, obstructions and other anomalies; given the lack of appetite and reluctance to drink, it may be worth mixing some smooth wet dog food with a little water and syringing it into the mouth to encourage eating and drinking especially to keep hydration levels up. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
www.merckvetmanual.com/appendixes/reference-guides/normal-rectal-temperature-ranges
Add a comment to Spencer's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
I have a goldendoodle. She is 1year and 4 months old. She had a litter of puppies. After the pups were about a month old, she got sick. Her highest fever has been 106.2. She has been in and out of the vet and they are puzzled. After a four day stay at the vet with an iv of hyration, she came home. She has been on antibiotics. Baytril 136 mg for 10 days and Doxycycline of 100mg twice a day for 14 days. She is on her last day of Doxycycline and today she is lethargic again. I took her temp and it is 103.2. It has been 101 to 102 since she came home. I am so worried. Do you have any suggestions on what it could be. They did spay her and removed her spleen due to infection.
1201 Recommendations
In a study of 101 dogs presenting with fever: 22% had immune-mediated diseases, 22% primary bone marrow abnormalities, 16% infectious diseases, 11.5% miscellaneous conditions, 9.5% neoplasia, and 19% had a fever of unknown origin (FUO). Has precious had any blood work taken to see if there is a rise or fall in any particular parameter? There are many different possible causes, further tests would need to be taken to help narrow down a diagnosis. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Precious's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
dog is either swollen.tumor.or dead puppies.won't hardly eat.now running fever. breathing labored.cough
1201 Recommendations
If Shebs is showing these symptoms it would be best to have her examined by her Veterinarian especially if you believe that she may have retained foetuses inside her. Try to get her to a Veterinarian today; but if not, ensure she keeps drinking to keep her hydrated and baby aspirin at 5mg/lb may help the fever. But get her to a Veterinarian as soon as possible. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
what if it's fluid.anything at home that would help
Add a comment to shebs's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
My puppy had a fever 3 days ago of 104.7, we went to the vet and received some medicine which seemed to help and the fever went away however, the fever keeps coming back and the vet said to keep giving the medicine. I was just curious if there was a certain diagnosis for this as the vet and i cannot figure out the cause and how long on average will it be before she gets better?
1201 Recommendations
Some animals (and people) can get a fever of unknown origin (FUO) where a fever presents itself, but there are no other symptoms or test results indicating any specific cause. In these cases, supportive treatment is best to help Lady through the fever. Fever and lethargy are very vague symptoms and may be caused by numerous underlying causes. Further investigation would be needed to reach a diagnosis. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Example of one possible cause: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12951907
Add a comment to Lady's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
My puppy is having fever from last 6 days. He is eating fine and hydrated. But shivering badly in between. Vet recommended protozoa test which came negative.what could be the reason please help m very worried.
1201 Recommendations
There are numerous different conditions which may be affecting Coco including infections, parasites, toxins, autoimmune disease, liver disease, poisoning, tumours (unlikely at six months of age) among other causes. It may be a case of having a blood test to see if there are any abnormal parameters which may indicate an underlying cause. The black stool indicates the presence of digested blood which would indicate bleeding somewhere in the gastrointestinal tract. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to coco's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
MY dog has had a fever of 104.5 to 106.8 for 4 days. She has been in the hospital for 2 days of it and the vets cannot get it to break with 3 anitbiotics and IV fluids. She is eating, drinking and acting normal except for panting and shivering. She's attentive and displays no other signs and symptoms. She is blind from uveitis in one eye and unknown cause of blindness in the other eye. They did xrays and blood work and all came back normal.
1201 Recommendations
There are various causes of fever in dogs including infections, cancer, immune-mediated disease and fever of unknown origin. Fever of unknown origin is a fever that cannot be explained or diagnosed; diagnosing a fever of unknown origin can be a lengthy endeavour with tests including: bone marrow, cerebrospinal fluid, urine culture, blood culture and infectious disease testing. Until a diagnosis is confirmed, supportive care is important. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Kayla's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Heyy my 47 days old lab female puppy is suffering from fever since last night consulted a vet he injected her wid 2 injection but still can't c any changes in her body temperature but she active eating on time wat can I do to bring her body temperature to normal help me out
1201 Recommendations
An increase in body temperature may be attributable to infection, inflammation or allergies (in some cases); the underlying cause of the fever needs to be established and managed. If the cause is due to an infection, antibiotics would be prescribed; if inflammation is the cause, anti inflammatories would be prescribed. Treatment for fever may take a few days, but without examining Daisy, I cannot legally prescribe any medication. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Daisy's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
Hi,
My dog was doing well and 2 weeks ago developed lethargy and a fever of 106F. We took her to the vet and found out she had severe neutropenia (almost zero) and thrombocytopenia (37k). She was admitted for fluids and IV antibiotics and improved in 24 hours. We continued all 3 antibiotics (clavimox, cipro, doxycycline) at home. Her repeat bloodwork a week later showed a normal platelet count but the neutropenia remained (ANC of 100). She was 100% acting normal. A week after that (now 2 weeks into antibiotics) she started having vomiting x 9 and the next day had a fever again of 106F. At this point she was still on all antibiotics. We took her back to the vet and gave her fluids and repeated bloodwork. What could this be? Have you ever seen anything like this?
1201 Recommendations
Whilst I cannot say for 100%, it is possible that Maddie has a severe infection like Ehrlichiosis which can be a chronic problem in some cases; Ehrlichiosis would explain recurrence of fever and the neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. There are other exotic diseases which may cause similar symptoms but are region specific and your Veterinarian would have a better idea about local epidemiology. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
www.vetary.com/dog/condition/ehrlichiosis
Add a comment to Maddie's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
I came home today to find my dog Dakota, 4.5 years old, had thrown up. She did not eat her dinner and after drinking some water she threw that up too. Now that I'm looking closely, she seems to be breathing/panting harder than usual and she feels warmer than normal. Yesterday we were out on the Mississippi River & she was drinking the water and got a bit overheated in the afternoon. What other symptoms should I be on the lookout for to determine is she needs to see the vet?
1201 Recommendations
River water can be dangerous due to the presence of bacteria, parasites, toxins and pollutants (especially rivers like the Mississippi). The vomiting, diarrhoea, panting and fever may be caused by a variety of causes and I wouldn’t hesitate to visit your Veterinarian given the circumstances. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Dakota's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
I took my dog a couple of days ago on a walk and then I realised that he had difficulty pooping with his hind legs. Then when I came home I noticed that he had difficulty climbing a chair so I took him to the hospital and he had 106 c fever so they took a blood test and it was tick fever he already had before but fortunately it isn’t very serious (they same parasite in his body). So then they gave him seline and he got better and we took him home. Then the best two days the vets came and gave him IV and prescribed antibiotics for 10 days. Yesterday and today I realised he has a bit of difficulty breathing (makes a bit of a noise) and drinks a lot of water (more than usual) although he is completely active and plays etc. But I am worried about this health. Thanks you.
1201 Recommendations
It isn’t unusual for a dog to have an increased level of thirst when they have a fever; as for the noise whilst breathing, this may be due to increased respiratory effort as dogs cool down by panting. If Walter isn’t struggling to breathe and isn’t in any respiratory distress, just keep an eye on him during his recovery to see if the noisy breathing gets worse; it is important that Walter gets his medication and keeps hydrated whilst recovering. If you notice any respiratory distress or difficulties it would be best to visit your Veterinarian immediately. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
*4 years. Thank you so much Dr. Callum!
Add a comment to Walter's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
My dog tyson 4 and half year old labrador is feeling high fever. 2 days ago i gave him cooked chicken after that his stool was tarry black for 24 hours and yesterday he vomit and its all food came back from stomach and from that moment his tarry black stool is normal but there is a sudden rise in his temperature. I gave him a tablet prescribed by vet previously. But its effect last long for 2 or 3 hours now again he is having high temperature What could be wrong in this case. Kindly guide me. Thankyou sir
1201 Recommendations
It is best not to give any prescription medication which hasn’t been prescribed for this condition as it may be old, not stored properly and may affect future treatments. Remember that dogs have a higher internal body temperature than humans so a reading that is considered fever in a human may be physiological in a dog; if there is a reading over 103.5°F then fever can be suspected. Fever can be caused by many different causes including infection, trauma, inflammation, allergies, medications, toxins or reaction to medication. The tarry black faeces may be due to infection, foreign bodies, parasites, tumours, poisoning etc… Due to the varied range of possible causes, it would be best to visit your Veterinarian for an examination. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Tyson's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
My 9 year old pit/bixer mix can't kick her fever. She is lethargic, dehydrated, and isn't walking well. We have ruled out from lab work: valley fever, pancreatitis, thyroid, Attison's. CT scan showed enlarged pancreas, but no other obvious things or lumps.
She is on 1000mL of fluid at home, two pain killers, and antibiotics. Fever over the last few days is ranging from 102.8 to 104 consistently. She has an appitite, and is going potty, but won't drink unless from a dropper. No vomiting, coughing, or diarrhea.
We have an appointment with Internal Medicine tomorrow. What are they looking for? Are most of what they find at this point terminal or severe enough to decrease quality of life?
She has lived a good life. I am ready to say goodbye if she is pain, I just don't want to make that decision too soon if something can be done to keep her with is for a few more years.
1201 Recommendations
The basic symptoms you have described are vague in nature and may be attributable to many different causes; enlargement of the pancreas is usually caused by pancreatitis, diabetes, cancer or fat infiltration (but you mentioned that there were no signs of a mass on the pancreas and I am sure other blood tests would have ruled out diabetes). There is a condition which is appropriately called ‘fever of unknown origin’ which is diagnosed as a diagnosis of exclusion; once every other possibility is ruled out you are left with only fever of unknown origin, the visit to an Internal Medicine Specialist will review Jodie’s cases and will either determine a diagnosis or will diagnose fever of unknown origin. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Jodie's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
My 10 week, 7 pound Cockapoo has been running a 104 fever for 3 days. On day 1, Sunday, we brought her to the emergency vet clinic and they put her on antibiotics, anti inflammatory and IV hydration, we transferred her over to our vet and she has been on the same treatment. Her stool and blood tests came back normal with high white blood cells and a little anemia. She will get X-rays to check for growth issues in her long bones. She had her 10 week vaccinations on Friday, was a little less active on Saturday and very tired and lethargic on Sunday when we brought her to the ER Vet Clinic. We are leaning towards a vaccine reaction, but 4-5 days out and still running a high fever seems too much of a delayed reaction. I wanted to see what other explanations were out there for a fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, but no other symptoms.
1201 Recommendations
Generally fever, loss of appetite and lethargy may occur after vaccination for up to 48 hours afterwards; however, in young pups with weaker immune systems this may be longer. Other causes of fever may be due to infection, inflammation, allergies or idiopathic (fever of unknown origin); further testing may be required but given that the vaccines were given a few days ago, they are the most likely possible cause. Supportive therapy may be given (fluids etc…) to see if it passes. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Audrey's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Hi,
My border collie has gone through a few instances of having a fever. Bloods done on the first instance showed slight anemia, antibiotics given and symptoms disappeared. 2nd instance, xray and scan performed, no answers -all clear. antibiotics given and again she got better. We are now into the 3rd instance and have booked her into the vet hospital as our vet has run out of options. Any thoughts?
1201 Recommendations
Recurring fever in dogs can be a difficult symptom to diagnose. Given the response of the fever to antibiotics, it may be suspected that the cause is infectious in origin. Some usual suspects like bacterial endocarditis, which can have recurring fever, would show a heart murmur when examined by your Veterinarian. Other conditions like immune mediated diseases as well as tumours and toxins may also cause fever, but wouldn’t respond to the antibiotics. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Hi
My 4 yrs female dog had fever so I took her to vet, he had given some injection which brought her body temp. Down (98.6 )than the normal. Now she is acquiring normal body temp. gradualy but still not responding well and even not eating properly. What should I do?
Add a comment to Amy's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
My dog who is 8 months puppy was adopted. When I found her she was very skinny and was infested with ticks. She has been good the last 8 months. Since last Sunday she has had a fever, runny nose, sneezing, lost of appetite, has drank a lot of water, and she is very mellow considering how hyper she is. Also last Sunday I found a tick on her. She has some eye buggers as well. What can it be? Should I go to emergency?
1201 Recommendations
The symptoms you describe are quite vague until you consider the tick you found. Ticks can carry multiple infections and transmit them when they bite on to a host to feed. Whilst the symptoms may be due to some transient viral infection, it is best to get Oreo checked over just in case the cause is something more serious. A general physical examination by your Veterinarian and a blood test (to check blood counts and to check under a microscope) would rule out most sinister causes. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Oreo's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
My sister's German Pinscher has a fever which comes and goes, this has gone on for approximately 3 weeks. He has a history of anal gland infections and was treated with antibiotics. The vet said he was clear again, but the fever didn't subside. He suddenly had lumps come up all over his back and sides along with changes in his hair, becoming rough and sticking up a little. He spent 4 days in the veterinary hospital. He was given intravenous fluids and more antibiotics. He began knuckling over with his front right paw, he doesn't want to put weight on it. He also walks stiffly with his back legs. Again this came on suddenly and continuous fluctuations in Temperature. This has ranged from 103 to over 105. His vet diagnosed him with pancreatitis, swollen spleen and swollen liver. Radio graphs showed minimal arthritis in the top of the hip area and the swollen spleen and liver. Everything else was normal. He is eating and drinking a little, also he goes outside but doesn't walk around much. He has a hard time getting down the steps and back up, trying to not put weight on his front right paw, which knuckles over. His vet said he was a hard case. She did extensive blood work which showed the pancreatitis. He cries. We don't have enough money for an MRI and the neurologist consult I am afraid this might be cancer. He is 10 years old. About 4 years ago, he was poisoned by my sister's neighbor with rat poison. He nearly bled out but my sister got him to the vet in time to save him. He was tested for all the tickborn diseases including Rocky Mountain spotted fever and they were negative. Do you have any ideas we could suggest to the vet?
1201 Recommendations
I agree with your Veterinarian that Hewey’s case is very difficult; there seems to be a lot happening with no logical way to connect the dots; I have considered many different conditions that may not be displaying symptoms according to textbook but I am still unable to come up with something that connects the dots fully. I have considered different infections, parasites, hormonal conditions and cancers. Not being able to examine Hewey puts me at a diagnostic disadvantage; I think it would be beneficial to visit a Specialist to help determine the cause. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Hewey's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
My dog just recently got her annual vaccinations and her body feels very warm like if shes is running a fever what can i give her to bring fever down
1201 Recommendations
Dogs have a higher physiological temperature than humans, take Lady’s temperature and if it is above 103ºF administering 5mg/lb of baby aspirin (no added ingredients) may help bring down a fever. You need to remember that when an animal is vaccinated there immune system makes a response including an increase in temperature, if the increase in temperature lasts more than a few days return to your Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Lady's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
My American bully Lilly is typically in the good temp zone, I feel like she does have some breathing issues due to a possible elongated soft pallet. I have been waiting to walk her until after dark and when it is the coolest part of the day (70-75 degrees in the summertime) however even on short walks around the neighborhood...maybe 1/2- 3/4 of a mile her breathing gets raspy and she becomes hot to the touch. I decided to take her temp when I got home just out of curiosity and it was 106.2. I understand that this is definitely the danger zone for dogs but it decreases steadily back to normal within about a half hour after getting home. Our walks are not strenuous and its not hot out. I cant just not exercise her as she is under 2 and full of energy but I also dont want to put her life in danger by taking her on a simple walk at night. Any suggestions,Advice? Stumped as to what would be best for her
1201 Recommendations
Add a comment to Lilikoi's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
I have a lab mix that came down with vomiting Saturday night after being normal all day. We searched the house and she has not gotten into anything inside or outside. By Sunday she was so weak she couldn't stand up so we took her to the emergency vet. After running blood test, x ray and ultrasound, the only thing that came back odd was that her platelet count was negative. She was kept overnight on fluids and was given antibiotics. Her fever of 105 came down to 103 and then went back and forth between 103 and 105 for 2 days. All the blood work was repeated the night after she was admitted and her platelets had jumped up. She was then transfered to our regular vet because her fever was still 104 and while she was there she had an anxiety attack that raised her temp to 107. It finally came down and the vet decided to let us take her home because she will be more calm there but we still don't know what's causing it. Any ideas?
1201 Recommendations
Add a comment to Casey's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Has Symptoms
Medication Used
Yesterday, I came home to my 2 year old labrador retriever, not acting himself. I took his temp, and it was 104.4. After applying cold towels to his ears, paws and belly, it went down to 137.7. He is eating fine, maybe a bit less than normal, and drinking water just fine. This AM his temp. was 137.9. He does not have any external infections or wounds, and although he is up to date on vaccinations, they were given back in November. Should I be worried about bringing him to the veterinarian yet?
1201 Recommendations
Fever may be indicative of infection, inflammation or allergies (usually mild fever); vaccinations last over twelve months so that isn’t an issue, but vaccines only cover five or six diseases (depending on the combination) compared with the millions of possible infectious diseases in the world. With these symptoms, it would be best to have Scout checked out by his Veterinarian to be on the safe side. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Add a comment to Scout's experience
Was this experience helpful?
My dog is suffering from chronic fever for 2 months at a stretch what to do ? No haemoprotoa present still doctor recommended doxycycline. Feeling tensed.what to do .
1201 Recommendations
Add a comment to Rai's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Shih Tzu
1 Year
My German spitz got fever and started panting heavily after a medication for scabies. After 2 days of fever I took him to vet he gave him an injection and now his temperature seems to be normal but he is painting heavily and is just laying around not doing anything. He is not even standing. Here is no vet in this area I have to travel long way if I have to see a vet.
Please suggest something that I can do at home or please tell me what is the problem with him