A dog in the house, very nice and cozy. There are so many different types of dogs, each dog has its own unique appearance and behavior. However, there is one thing that is the same for all dogs, that is that a dog can suffer from a high temperature. Many people immediately get stressed, they then think that the dog is seriously ill. This does not always have to be the case, there are different causes that can lead to a higher temperature in the dog. In this article we will explain to you exactly what a high temperature in a dog means and what you can do about it.
What does a high temperature mean in a dog?
Did you know that dogs cannot sweat like humans? The result is that a dog can become overheated during the day. You can imagine that a dog also gets hot when he runs around a lot in the sun. A human then simply sweats everything out, a dog cannot do this. A way for the dog’s body to lower the temperature is by letting the dog breathe and puff a lot. Now this will pass by itself, the temperature that arises from movement and stress is therefore not dangerous for a dog.
However, it is also possible that your dog has a fever. Just like with people, this is a reaction of the body to lower the temperature again, which is sometimes necessary. Or it can be caused by an infection, which can also cause a fever in a dog. It is important that you go to the doctor with this type of fever. Do not worry, it is often very easy to solve. So there are two types of fever, one due to exercise and the sun and the other due to an infection or fever. So keep a close eye on the latter category!
My dog’s temperature is too high, what now?
Start by taking the temperature. You can use any thermometer for this. Insert the thermometer deep enough into the anus (preferably 1-2 cm) and wait a while. If it is clear that the dog does indeed have a fever, first try to identify the cause. If it is very warm outside, the dog is breathing heavily and it has suddenly occurred, then it is due to overheating. The easiest way to cool a dog down is to put him or her under lukewarm water. Cold water is not good, your dog can then become hypothermic. If in doubt, always contact your doctor. If it is not overheating, try to see if you see other symptoms. The symptoms of fever: limping , coughing or difficulty breathing, diarrhea , a smelly mouth odor and inflamed skin.
Insure your dog
If your dog does indeed have a fever, it is therefore useful to go to the vet. A disadvantage is that this can always cost quite a bit of money. You have to pay for the treatment and the costs of the medication yourself. This is of course not very pleasant, fortunately there is a solution for this. By taking out insurance for your dog, you can save quite a bit of money on the various costs you make for your dog. The costs you make are almost always reimbursed by the insurance. The monthly amount you pay is therefore actually always lower than the costs you save. Do you want to take out the cheapest dog insurance now? Then take a look at our comparator , so you will know in an instant what the cheapest and best dog insurances are!