Fever in Dogs

Dogs are the faithful companions to humans. They are more or less similar to their bipedal friends and suffer from diseases just like humans. Of the many dog health problems, fever is one condition that is commonly encountered by a pet owner. Signs of fever in dogs generally goes unnoticed by the owners. This is because the body temperature of dogs is higher than the normal body temperature of humans. Poor Rover! He can't even tell his owner he is down with a fever. So, it is all up to Rover's master to understand the fever in dogs symptoms and take care of the dog's health. The following article will help you know more about the tell-tale signs of fever in dogs.

Causes of Fever in Dogs
There are different causes of fever in dogs that may include:

• Infection
• Inflammation
• Cancer
• Diseases related to the immune system
• Reaction to drugs
• Idiopathic

Symptoms of Fever in Dogs
There are many symptoms of fever in dogs that an owner should watch out for. These signs of fever in dogs shows that there is a dog illness plaguing Rover. These symptoms of fever in dogs may include few or most of the following signs:

• Difficulty in breathing
• Decrease in activity by dog
• Shivering
• Coughing
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Discharge from eyes, nose or ears
• Excessive drooling
• Loss of weight even if the dog eats more food
• Excessive thirst
• Fainting spells
• Hot and prolonged panting
• Increase or decrease in appetite for more than 24 hours
• Lethargy in dogs
• Loss of balance while walking
• Red or swollen gums
• Increase in pulse rate
• Restlessness
• Rough or dull coat
• Excessive pawing or scratching of eyes and ears
• Sneezing
• Excessive sleeping
• Excessive urination for more than 12 hours
• Vomiting
• Watery eyes
• Whining for no reason
• Overheated or body temperature raised above 103° Fahrenheit

A dog with fever wants to be left alone and hides around the house. If you find any such similar behavior in your dog, seek veterinarian help. Tick fever in dogs is matter of concern especially if you live in regions with tick infestations. The symptoms of tick fever in dogs include breathing trouble, swollen lymph glands, lack of appetite and energy. The dog may suffer from sudden nosebleed or have bloody stools. The color of urine (especially in male dogs) is brown in color. The temperature will be as high as 104°F.

Another life-threatening condition includes eclampsia or milk fever in dogs. This condition is seen after about 3 to 4 weeks in a brood bitch of whelping puppies. The symptoms of milk fever in dogs is stiffness, nervousness, restlessness and loss of interest in puppies. She may have a rapid heart rate and in severe cases she may have muscle spasms or seizures.

Fever in Dogs Treatment
If you suspect fever in dogs, you should visit a veterinarian for medical help. The veterinarian will look for infections, cuts, tumors, etc. The vet will also check out for parasitic infections and organ functions. After thorough check up the vet may prescribe antibiotics for fever in dogs treatment. These antibiotics include amoxicillin, ampicillin, cephalexin, ketoprofen, etc. that help to reduce fever in dogs. In case of milk fever in dogs, the veterinarian gives intravenous 10% calcium gluconate injections. The treatment for tick fever in dogs includes antibiotics like tetracycline or doxycyline.

Prevention of Fever in Dogs
You need to provide proper dog care to keep your dog hale and hearty. You need to feed him healthy dog food and take him to the vet for regular check ups. If you find anything strange or out of the blue in dog behavior make sure you investigate it.

Dogs are dependent on their owners for their basic needs that includes health. They cannot speak, but will show signs of ill-health. An alert owner will quickly catch these signs and take corrective action. This was all about fever in dogs that an owner should remember and prevent dog health complications.