Body temperature in a dog: normal, symptoms, what and how to measure

All living creatures on Earth have a certain body temperature. A decrease or increase in it indicates any changes in the animal’s body. The first thing the doctor does at the appointment is measure the body temperature of the four-legged patient. From this article you will learn what is the normal temperature of a dog, what diseases are the symptoms and possible complications. And also how to measure if you don’t have a thermometer at hand.

Dog body temperature

The normal body temperature of a healthy dog varies from 37.5 to 39 C.

Having measured the dog’s body temperature and seen on the thermometer, for many owners, a seemingly frightening indicator of 39 C - there is no need to panic. Let's find out why. A common misconception among owners is averaging the upper and lower limits of normal temperature (37.5 - 39 C).

In fact, like humans, each organism is individual and has its own normal temperature. If one of your dogs has a temperature of 38 C, and the other has a temperature of 39 C, then this is quite normal.

Based on the above, it can be understood that the temperature indicator for dogs is not the same. Then the question arises, what does this depend on? It's simple, basically such temperature fluctuations depend on the age, weight and height of the pet.

Puppies	Normal body t, in °C
Large breed puppies (Central Asian Shepherd, Siberian Husky, Great Dane, Golden Retriever, Doberman, Dalmatian, Rottweiler and others).	38 - 39 °C
Puppies of medium breeds (pit bull, English bulldog, boxer, bull terrier, poodle, sharpei, chow chow and others).	38.2 – 39.1 °C
Small breed puppies (Affenpinscher, Beagle, West Highland Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, Chihuahua, Pug, Dachshund, Toy Terrier and others).	38.5 – 39.2 °C

Large dogs are considered to be animals weighing more than 28 kg and height at the withers of more than 60 cm. Medium breeds of dogs, conditionally, should weigh 10 - 28 kg. Dogs whose weight does not exceed 10 kg are considered small.

Adult dogs of various breeds	Normal body t, in °C
Large breeds	37.4 – 38.4 °C
Medium breeds	37.5 – 39 °C
Small breeds	38.5 – 39 °C

According to research by scientists and observations of veterinarians, body temperature indicators do not depend on the breed of the dog.

When to call the vet

Any change in temperature can serve as a symptom of terrible infectious diseases and bring even more problems. Small deviations of 0.5-1° are rarely dangerous, but pets will require constant monitoring.

A veterinarian is needed if the readings drop to 36° and below or increase to 39.7° . Subsequent treatment methods will be determined by a specialist, based on test results and the general condition of the animal.

Experts recommend periodically measuring and recording your pet’s temperature, but do not encourage this procedure to be carried out daily. Firstly, it causes discomfort to the animal, and secondly, it makes no sense. It is important to monitor the regimen of convalescent or pregnant dogs. In all other cases, a weekly check of the indicators is considered ideal. You can train your pet to certain commands that allow you to regulate its behavior during procedures.

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Symptoms and types of diseases with fever

A change in temperature is the first warning signal of the onset of any disease. In many cases, the disease can occur latently (hidden) and not significantly affect the dog’s behavior. The pet may be malnourished or reluctant to go for walks; often with such insignificant changes, owners do not seek help from veterinary clinics, but take a thermometer and measure the temperature.

The body temperature of animals can change at night by 0.2 - 0.6 C. Such fluctuations are normal.

There are three obvious outcomes that the thermometer will show us:

Normal t – 37.5 – 39.0 C.
Decreased t (hypothermia) – the thermometer is below 37.4 C.
Increased t (hyperthermia) – the thermometer is above 39.2 C.

Reasons for deviations

A change in body temperature in a healthy dog does not always require immediate treatment. The causes of deviations may be associated with natural physiological processes, infectious and pathological diseases.

High

A temperature above normal indicates the presence of a viral infection. Let's look at the reasons why the temperature rises:

Infectious viral diseases purulent-inflammatory processes bacterial infections bacterial poisoning

Physiological stress pregnancy estrus teething active games feeding

Low

A drop in temperature may be due to the following reasons:

Pathological hypothermia food poisoning excessive blood loss helminthic infestation with multiple fractures chronic pathologies of the liver and kidneys in old dogs

Physiological prenatal period (one day before birth), postoperative period, consequences of anesthesia

Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia is a change in body temperature that exceeds the upper limit of normal.

There can be many reasons for high temperature, ranging from stress to neoplasms, let’s consider them in more detail:

Stress does not cause serious concern; when it is removed, t returns to normal. Stress can be caused by transporting an animal, strong and prolonged noise, a change of owner, or a large number of people in the room wanting to play with the dog.
Viral and infectious diseases - when foreign microorganisms are introduced, a protective reaction occurs, which is accompanied by an increase in temperature.
Non-infectious diseases (vascular and heart diseases, joints, sepsis, hormonal imbalance, etc.).
Poisoning/intoxication of the body.
Allergic reactions - an increase in body temperature is the body's immune response to an allergen.
Teething in puppies (not always).
Overheating or hypothermia of the body.

After childbirth, complications are possible, this will be indicated by an increase in temperature up to 40 - 41 C.

Symptoms of hyperthermia

The symptoms of hyperthermia are nonspecific and can manifest themselves in a number of other diseases that are not accompanied by a change in temperature.

lethargy, apathy (the animal is not physically active);
dry and hot nose (not only when t changes, for example, after waking up);
chills (with a significant increase in t, the dog shudders, this is manifested by trembling of the whole body, less often of individual parts);
appetite is weak or absent;
severe thirst (the animal strives to reduce the heat inside with large amounts of water);
the dog strives for a dark, cold place;
vomiting/diarrhea.

An increase in temperature, despite everything, is considered a good sign, since the body exhibits a protective reaction.

What deviations from the norm may mean

To determine the specific reason for the deviation of a dog’s temperature from the norm, you should first understand that these values can be either increased or decreased, the reasons for which will always be different.

Increased

Among the main reasons for the increase in the temperature of small dogs to +39.3 °C and above, the following factors are distinguished:

Infectious processes in the body of bacterial, viral or fungal etiology. The infection can be localized anywhere, but most often pets have to deal with inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia), kidneys (pyelonephritis), brain (encephalitis) or even the skin. Some infections (mostly of fungal origin) can affect several areas of the dog’s body at once.
Routine vaccination of the animal . Normally, the elevated temperature persists for 24–48 hours after the vaccine is given, and is caused by the interaction between the components of the administered drug and the animal’s immune system.
Poisoning (food or chemical). This condition is usually caused by the consumption of spoiled food or leftover food from the human table, as well as foods unsuitable for the dog, in particular nuts and chocolate. Sometimes poisoning develops as a result of an animal’s contact with household chemicals and is also expressed in increased body temperature, vomiting and diarrhea, sometimes with traces of blood.
Overheating and sunstroke. This explanation is especially relevant in the summer, when the dog spends a long time in the heat or in a closed room with high temperatures and lack of ventilation. It is quite easy to determine overheating, especially if the pet’s condition returns to normal after being transferred to a cool room.
"Fever of unknown origin." This concept is used in veterinary medicine when doctors are unable to determine the exact cause of the fever. Usually it lasts no longer than 1-2 days and does not leave behind any negative consequences.

For first aid purposes, you can give the animal clean cold water and treat the fur and skin around the ears with it. This procedure can be considered as an analogue of a cold compress and helps to reduce the temperature without harm to health.

Important! You cannot treat a dog with human drugs. Aspirin, which is familiar to people, is perceived by the dog’s body as a potent poison, so it is better to use paracetamol, but after a telephone consultation with a veterinarian.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is a decrease in body temperature below 37.0 C.

There are 3 degrees of hypothermia (hypothermia):

Weak degree of hypothermia – 32 – 37 C
Average degree of hypothermia – 28 – 32 C
Severe hypothermia – below 28 C

For any degree of hypothermia, you must contact a veterinary clinic. Failure to provide first aid can result in coma or death.

Causes of hypothermia

Hypothermia (prolonged exposure to cold or cold water).
Disturbance of heat production.
Long-term operations on the abdominal and thoracic cavities.
Anesthesia for more than 4 hours.

A decrease in temperature is observed in pregnant bitches before giving birth for 8 to 14 hours.

Symptoms of hypothermia

Apathy, depressed state.
Trembling muscles.
Bradycardia (decreased heart rate).
Critical drop in pressure.
The frequency and depth of breathing is reduced.
Sensitivity reduced.
Weakening or absence of heart sounds.
Dilated pupils and lack of reaction to light.

Which thermometer to choose for use at home

A mercury thermometer guarantees a more accurate and accurate result. However, in terms of safety and speed of obtaining results, it is clearly inferior to modern electronic options. Animals can be extremely intolerant and resourceful. Consequently, when measuring temperature using the rectal method, the thermometer may be damaged and mercury may enter the animal’s body. This will cause many health problems.

An electronic thermometer is not very accurate or reliable. The difference with real numbers can sometimes exceed a whole degree, which is extremely important for assessing the condition of the animal. However, there is one significant advantage - the result can be assessed after 20-35 seconds. You can buy any of the possible models of thermometers at a veterinary pharmacy.

Treatment

Attention! The information below is for informational purposes only. Do not self-medicate; if you notice a deviation from the norm in the animal’s condition, consult a specialist.

First aid

The first thing to do if the dog has a fever is to place the animal in a cooler room; if this is not the case, simply ventilate it (avoid drafts).

How to lower the temperature?

The second step will be contact cooling (applying ice cubes or wet towels to the groin and back area).

A prerequisite for reducing t is to give the dog cool water.

At temperatures above 41 C it is necessary to give antipyretics.

How to increase the temperature?

At home, the animal needs to increase the low temperature as quickly as possible, for this you should - move the dog to a warm room, wrap it in a towel/any woolen items, you can use heating pads or simple plastic bottles filled with hot water, give the animal warm water and check t every 8 - 14 minutes.

If the above measures do not give a positive result, you should urgently consult a doctor!

Diagnostics

Hyperthermia is diagnosed by clinical signs or thermometer readings.

Like hyperthermia, hypothermia is diagnosed by clinical signs and temperature changes.

It should be remembered that fever is not a disease, but just a symptom. Eliminating the symptom can smooth out the clinical picture.

Treatment at a veterinary clinic

To reduce the temperature with drugs, the doctor first examines the animal, collects anamnesis, measures t, if necessary, gives the following medications - paracetamol, phenacetin, amidopyrine, antipyrine, analgin, butadione, salicylic acid preparations.

To increase t in a clinical setting, warm enemas are used, and isotonic solutions are administered intravenously.

The use of drugs intended for humans can cause allergic reactions in dogs.

First aid

The main task during hyperthermia is to reduce the thermometer values by at least a few tenths of a degree:

Place in a cool room at 18 – 20℃.
Don't let it move.
Wet ears, forehead, paws, and groin with cool water.
Apply an ice pack to your neck.
Turn on the fan.
Give him some water.
Give an antipyretic drug.

Do not give human medications - aspirin, ibuprofen. Medicines cause internal bleeding, form toxic compounds in the liver and destroy cells.

In an emergency, you can give paracetamol, strictly observing the dosage. The maximum dose is 10 mg per 1 kg of animal weight. The tablets are used only as an emergency medicine when the temperature goes beyond 40, there is no veterinary medicine and there is no opportunity to bring the dog to the clinic.

Temperature measurement

How to measure a dog's body temperature?

A mercury or electronic thermometer can be used to detect hyperthermia or hypothermia.

In some electronic thermometers not made in Russia, you can see another unit of temperature measurement - Fahrenheit, instead of degrees Celsius.

How to measure a dog's temperature with a mercury thermometer?

First you need to calm and fix the dog.
Lubricate the tip of the thermometer with Vaseline/oil.
Insert the thermometer into the rectum with smooth movements, 3–4 cm for large dogs, 1.5–2.0 cm for small dogs.
Hold the thermometer in the rectum for about 3 - 5 minutes, during this time stroke, calm the animal, talk to it.
After 3 - 5 minutes, take out the thermometer, wipe with cotton wool and see the results.
After use, wash the thermometer with warm soapy water and then wipe with alcohol wipes.

How to check a dog's temperature without a thermometer?

You don’t always have a thermometer at hand in emergency situations, so you need to know how to check whether your pet’s temperature is increasing/decreasing based on observations and examination at home.

It is worth paying attention to how a dog behaves with hyperthermia - it will try to find a cool place, lie on the tiles in the bathroom or toilet, lean against the walls, strive for a dark place, the dog will experience severe thirst.

On palpation, the skin will be hot, and in some areas the temperature will be significantly increased. The nose is dry and cold. With significant hyperthermia (40.5 - 41 C), involuntary muscle tremors will be observed.

How to measure a puppy's temperature?

There are no individual indications for measuring t for puppies. The temperature is measured as for an adult dog. But you should monitor your pet more carefully and avoid activity, as this may lead to damage to the thermometer in the rectum.

Summer time

An increase in body temperature not only in animals, but also in people is naturally associated with an increase in degrees outside on particularly hot days. So don't take this as something terrible.

However, it is worth remembering that smaller brothers are more susceptible to overheating than their owners. And everything is connected with their fluffy warm cover, which adds a couple more degrees.

Knowing what your dog’s body temperature is normal, you can easily and promptly save him from overheating. There are different ways.

For example, set up a cool place somewhere in the shade or send your pet to the groomer for a special haircut. Well, don’t forget about water balance, which is also important for animals, especially in this weather.

Possible complications

Hyperthermia can threaten the health of the animal, possible disorders of the central nervous system, digestive tract, dehydration, impaired water-salt metabolism, and stress on the organs of the circulatory system.

Hypothermia is dangerous due to frostbite, cardiac and respiratory arrest.

With timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable; in advanced stages (t stays at a certain level for a long time - a week or more) - cautious.

Prevention

There is no specific prophylaxis for hyperthermia and hypothermia. But to prevent this symptom, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of diseases that cause this symptom.

It is necessary to control physical activity, walks in the winter or simply cold seasons should be reduced, and if the animal has short hair, special clothes should be put on the dog.

Provide balanced nutrition, a warm place to sleep and, in general, living conditions should be at least satisfactory.

Monitor the pet's condition and carry out timely deworming and give the necessary vaccinations.

Briefly about the main thing

Fever is not an independent disease, but only a symptom.
Normal t in dogs varies from 38.5 to 39.2 C, and depends on the age, weight and height of the dog.
Hyperthermia can be dangerous in the absence of medical or pre-medical care.
Hypothermia is a decrease in temperature that can lead to death in a short time.
Self-treatment with human drugs can lead to allergic reactions.
If possible, it is better to take your pet to a veterinary clinic to determine the reasons that caused the increase or decrease in temperature.
Only a doctor can diagnose diseases that cause hyperthermia/hypothermia.

Pregnancy and childbirth in dogs

A special topic that requires special attention, since maintaining the health of the animal in this situation is more important than ever. During a certain period of time from the moment of successful mating, breeders try to monitor any changes and immediately respond to them.

Such monitoring should be carried out weekly, making periodic notes.
Thanks to such notes, it will be easier to predict the moment of the birth itself.
During birth, a dog’s body temperature drops by a couple of degrees, so be prepared to replenish within 24 hours.

After the puppies appear, the mother's body temperature should return to normal values. So be careful - if this does not happen, you should not hesitate to contact the veterinarian.

The readings may rise to 39-40 degrees, but this is only a warning about the arrival of milk. Again, everything should return to normal within 24 hours.