In order to know what you can give a dog to reduce their fever, it is important to know the different illnesses and conditions that can cause a fever in dogs. After you have a proper diagnosis of what is causing the fever, it is much easier to treat.
What is a fever temperature for dogs
A dog has a resting body temperature between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, any temperature that is 103F or higher is considered a fever in dogs.
What Can You Give a Dog for a Fever Reducer
For a fever reducer, you can give your dog aspirin, doxycycline hyclate, pedialyte, and cold water.
Aspirin
There is a new dog aspirin that is taking the dog world by storm. Not only does this dog aspirin work as a fever reducer, but it also helps reduce pain and inflammation. These liver flavored chewable tablets are very easy to give to your dog. You can buy it here for $14.
Doxycycline Hyclate is a common dog fever reducer medication that is prescribed to dogs that have a wide range of bacterial or fungal infections. It can also be used to treat dogs with urinary and respiratory infections. You can buy it at Chewy.com.
Pedialyte
It is important that dog’s with fever’s drink a lot of water. However, many dogs with fevers are sluggish and won’t take in enough water. By giving your dog pedialyte, it will replenish your dog’s electrolytes and keep him/her hydrated. You can also feed your dog a chicken broth if they are not drinking their water.
Cold water
Lastly, you can reduce your dog’s fever by rubbing cold water or ice across their paws and ears. You can also dip a towel in cold water and rub it against your dog’s fur. Another good idea is to put a fan in front of your dog in order to cool down their body temperature. However, you should not do this too quickly, as a rapid drop in body temperature can make your dog more sick.
What causes a dog to have a fever
The main causes of fevers in dogs are:
Viral Disease or Infection
From pneumonia to the flu, there is a wide range of diseases and infections that can cause your dog to have a fever. You can usually distinguish a disease by the symptoms that it causes. If you are unable to self diagnose the illness, we recommend taking your dog to the vet. There they will likely take mouth swabs and possibly blood tests to determine the illness.
Antibodies
It is also possible for your dog to develop a fever while its body is forming antibodies against a virus. This can happen when your dog gets a vaccine. Your dog can develop a slight fever 1 or 2 days following a vaccination. The fever will most likely go away after a day or two.
Food poisoning
We all know dogs can be scavengers when looking for food. Whether its sneaking something from the dinner table or going through the neighbors trash, a dog will taste anything that smells interesting to them. Unfortunately, a dog might develop a fever if they consume something that is toxic. The fever develops as the body tries to break down the toxins and get it out of the body.
