can dogs have a fever? what can i do at home?

my 2 yr old female neautered jack russell has vomited 4 times in two days.
she is frisky, happy ,etc, but panted and its like 50 degrees outside.
i feel she may have a fever.
i cannot take to vet. its saturday after noon.
can i give her tylenol?
or what?
any ideas?
she is like my child. i love her.
let me know what you think.
Answers:
You can give your dog 1/2 of a baby aspirin per 10 pounds. Dogs can run a fever. She may feel hot to you because the normal temperature for a dog is between 100.5 and 102.5. You can take her temp with a rectal thermometer. Hold her off food and water for 24 hours and give her stomach time to heal if she has a stomach virus. Good Luck and call an emergency vet if her condition deteriorates before Monday. Good Luck!

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dogs can have fever. my dog also have before. try to let her drink honey mixed with water. and try to contact your vet. ASAP

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give her an aspirin.. depending on her weight..1/2 is good, Tylenol doesn’t take the temperature down. Then give her a cool bath.. or just wipe her down with a wet cool cloth. Just for now.. then the vet.

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My vet told me I could give my dog half a childrens tylenol when he had a back injury, so it must be safe and he’s a small dog. Yes, they can get a fever. Although, when my dog had his back injury, I thought he had a fever too and the vet told me the panting was just due to his nerves. Is there something that might be stressing him out? Maybe the vomiting is a result of that too. Oh also, is it like real chunky vomit or just a puddle of yellow stuff (i know, gross)? But if it’s just a little puddle of yellow stuff, it probably isn’t really vomit, it’s like foamy mucus or something and my vet said that can be caused by a sore throat or allergies. My dog does that a lot, he has allergies. I hope your dog gets to feeling better.

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Take her to an emergency clinic. They are a little more expensive than your general clinic, but that’s because they are there for when something goes wrong. The vomiting and fever are not good. Don’t give any over the counter medicines. They can make the problem worse or cause new ones. Your dog really needs to be seen by a vet. Remember, dogs have higher body temperatures than humans, so if it is 100 degrees your dog is not running a fever, but is normal. The vomiting is something that you need to worry about though.

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When my chihuahua had a fever she wouldn’t eat or drink anything so my dad who is a doctor fed her ground up aspirin and some watermelon. I think they get de-hydrated when they are sick and although some dogs refuse to drink water when they have a fever, they will eat some watermelon. I also think the aspirin worked because my chi’s fever went down.

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Yes, it is possible for a dog to have a fever and a vet would normally check this with a rectal thermometer. Your dog needs to go to a vet as soon as possible to determine what is wrong with her. Also try to bring a stool sample with you if you can since sometimes vomiting can be a sign of worms. Check your phone book and call around, some vets are open Saturday and even on Sundays for shorter hours. Additionally, most medium to larger cities tend to have one or more emergency after hours vet clinic that is open only late nights (say from around 7pm-9am or so). The after hours places tend to be quite expensive (about twice what you’d pay for a normal visit for the appointment fee), so hurry and start calling other vets if your vet isn’t open on Saturdays.

I’m going to guess that you feed her around twice-a-day and that she isn’t keeping much or any food down. If you can find an open vet you can purchase a few cans of Science Diet I/D (Intestinal Distress) even if you can’t get an appointment and hopefully she can keep that down. You can also try feeding her a thin oatmeal or rice gruel to which you’ve added a banana since that would be more gentle for her stomach. Make sure she drinks lots of water, you can try mixing a small amount of fruit juice into her water and she might drink more. The best thing to do is to get her to a vet today.

Don’t give her Tylenol (acetaminophen) as it has a much higher toxicity than aspirin or other pain relievers. Its possible that you could easily giver her too much Tylenol and kill her (causes liver failure).
Aspirin is sometimes considered safe for dogs in very small doses for short periods of time, however, its harmful to their stomachs and difficult to dose correctly. Thus unless directed to do so by a vet you shouldn’t give it to your dog. Additionally, your dog is vomiting so giving him something that upsets his stomach wouldn’t be in his best interest.

How to Give a Dog Aspirin for Fever

If your dog is in pain or has swelling and inflammation from a chronic condition, you can help it to manage the pain. Tylenol, which is often used in place of aspirin, cannot be given to your dog. Tylenol can actually be harmful to dogs. If your vet has prescribed aspirin, remember that aspirin and Tylenol are not interchangeable. A dog can take aspirin for pain, but not Tylenol.

Instructions

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Call your vet. Ensure that the pain your dog is feeling is something that can be treated with aspirin and not a sign of something worse happening. The vet will also be able to tell you if a condition that your dog has will be affected by taking aspirin.




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Weigh your dog. Aspirin needs to be dosed in an amount of no more than 30 milligrams per pound of dog. For instance, if your dog is 10 pounds, then it can take up to 300 milligrams. However, most vets suggest not using more than 5 milligrams per pound of dog in a 12-hour period. For instance, for that 10-pound dog, no more than 50 milligrams per 12 hours.




3





Feed your dog the aspirin. A baby aspirin is typically 80 milligrams, so a 10-pound dog would need a little more than half an aspirin a day. Split the aspirin into the proper size using a knife. Choose whether you want to do half of the dose twice a day or a full dose once a day.




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Adjust the amount of aspirin depending on pain that you see in your dog. While 5 milligrams per pound of dog can help, some dogs may require more. Up the amount you give by an additional 5 milligrams per pound. For example, the 10-pound dog would receive 100 milligrams in a 12-hour period. You can go as high as 30 milligrams per pound if the dog seems to need it.

Symptoms, Causes and Treatment for a Pet with a Fever

By Linda Cole

It’s not always easy to determine if a pet has a fever or not. The general way many pet owners decide if their dog or cat is running a temperature is by feeling their nose. If it’s wet and cool, that’s a good sign the pet is healthy, but if it’s dry and hot that could mean the pet has a fever. However, there are better signs of fever in pets. Pet parents can tell right away when a pet isn’t feeling well, especially when they pass up their favorite CANIDAE or FELIDAE meal. We can also tell if they’re warm by touching them. If your pet is running a fever, you need to know for sure, otherwise you may miss the reason for their fever. The best way to know for certain is to actually take their temperature using a rectal thermometer.

Symptoms and Causes of Fever in Dogs and Cats

The first thing to remember is that our pet’s body temperature is higher than ours. We have a normal body temperature at 97.6 up to 99.6. A dog’s normal body temperature is 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The normal temperature for cats is 100.4 to 102.5 degrees. Indications of a fever include loss of appetite, lack of energy, depression, shivering, a runny nose, coughing, dehydration, lack of grooming or vomiting.

An infection or inflammation can produce a fever in pets. Anytime their body temperature is over 103 degrees Fahrenheit is cause for concern. A temperature of 106 degrees or higher can damage a pet’s internal organs and can be fatal. High fever in cats isn’t as harmful for them as it is for dogs, but it’s always best to get a high fever down as quickly as possible. If you can’t bring it down on your own within a day or two, a trip to the vet is recommended for specialized care and to determine why they have a fever.

A fever can be an indication your pet is fighting an infection inside the body or outside. An unnoticed cut on a paw pad or between a toe could have become infected. A bite or scratch from another dog or cat, an ear infection, a bad tooth or an abscess (common in cats) can cause infection. Urinary tract infection, pneumonia, encephalitis, fungal, bacterial or viral diseases can all cause your pet to run a fever. Complications during birth can also cause a pet to have a fever.

Dogs often pick up things they find on the ground, and both dogs and cats will nibble on plants. Many inside and outside plants are toxic to pets and can cause them to have a fever. Antifreeze poisoning, human medications, eating toxic human food or drinking alcohol can cause a rise in body temperature. If you suspect poisoning, take your pet to the vet immediately.

Sometimes the cause of a fever is unknown, and that could indicate problems with their immune system, an infection that hasn’t been found yet, or cancer. Many pets will run a low grade fever after their yearly vaccinations, and it’s recommended to keep a watchful eye on them for a few days after getting their updated shots. As long as their temperature remains under 103 degrees there’s no cause for concern, unless it lasts longer than 48 hours.

How to Take Your Pet’s Temperature

A digital rectal thermometer made specifically for pets is recommended. It will register your pet’s temperature in less than 60 seconds which for the pet is a good thing. Lubricate the thermometer with petroleum jelly or baby oil. Carefully and gently insert it about an inch into your pet’s anus and then remove it as soon as you have a reading. It is not recommended to use a glass thermometer or the type we use in our ears or mouth.

Reducing a Pet’s Fever

To help reduce a pet’s high fever that’s over 105, apply cool water around their ears and paws. You can put them in front of a fan and as their fur dries it will help them cool down. It’s important to monitor their temperature with a thermometer and remove them from in front of a fan and stop applying water once their temperature has dropped to 103. Try to get them to drink small amounts of water.

Never give dogs or cats human medication like acetaminophen or aspirin to reduce a fever. Aspirin is extremely toxic for pets. Applying water to cats to reduce a fever is not recommended. However, if a dog or cat is suffering from heat stroke, applying water around the ears, paws and back of the neck will help cool them down. Do not use ice if your pet is suffering from heat stroke.

Photo by Marlana Shipley 

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