{"id":14239,"date":"2024-08-01T05:46:10","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T12:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osfbl01.justfoodfordogs.com\/?p=14239"},"modified":"2025-11-14T10:13:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T18:13:03","slug":"how-to-tell-if-a-dog-has-a-fever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justfoodfordogs.com\/blog\/how-to-tell-if-a-dog-has-a-fever","title":{"rendered":"How to Tell If a Dog Has a Fever"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every loving pet parent worries when they think their best friend is feeling ill<\/a>. One of the first things you wonder about is if your pooch has a fever. But what is the normal temperature for dogs? How can you tell if a dog has a fever?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people believe they can tell by feeling their dog\u2019s nose if he has a fever, but that\u2019s an oversimplification at best. The story goes that cool and wet is normal, and hot and dry means the dog\u2019s body temperature is high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There may be some instances where a warm, dry nose may indicate the presence of a fever, but it\u2019s not the only reason for that. A warm, dry nose can be caused by other things like the dog being inside a home with dry air or having had their head covered, thus causing their nose to feel warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, how warm is warm when you\u2019re feeling your dog\u2019s nose? That\u2019s the same problem with feeling your dog\u2019s ears. And like with his nose, your dog might have warm ears for reasons not related to any fever or illness. Moreover, while your dog\u2019s ears should be room temperature or slightly warmer, it can be difficult to detect a high temperature with your hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part of the problem with detecting fever in dogs is that their normal body temperature ranges from 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, which is higher than your normal body temperature. So, let\u2019s talk about what constitutes a fever in dogs, what are the common signs of a fever, what causes fevers in dogs, and what you should do about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Temperature Is a Dog\u2019s Fever?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"calm<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dogs naturally run hotter than humans. As mentioned, their normal body temperature is between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit<\/strong>; that compares to 97.6 to 99.6 degrees Fahrenheit for humans. What that means is that your dog could feel hot to you simply because his body temperature is normally hotter than yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we talk about dog fever, that usually means his body temperature is above 103 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature above 105 degrees Fahrenheit, is a high fever. If it is above 106 degrees Fahrenheit, it is a medical emergency and can cause fatal complications. In summary:<\/p>\n\n\n\n