PetsMeds
Content
- Taking Your Dog's Temperature
- Feeding Your Adult Dog
- Essential Grooming Supplies
- Flea Products
- FrontLinePlus
- Enervite Vitamin Supplement
- FleaControl
- Bathing Your Puppy
- Bag Balm
- Bil-Jac Dog Food
- Denosyl For Dogs
- Pet Bathing 101
- Ear Cleaning
- Worms
- Why dental care?
- Bufo Toads
- Flea and Tick Products
- Lyme Disease
- Glucosamine, Chondroitin & Joint Care.
- Eye Care
- Crate Training
- Car Safety
- Preventing Car Sickness
Taking Your Dog's Temperature
When your dog is ill, you may have to determine whether or not he has a fever. Learning how to take your dog's temperature properly can help determine if immediate veterinary care is needed. When your dog is ill, you may have to determine whether or not he has a fever. Learning how to take your dog’s temperature properly can help determine if immediate veterinary care is needed.A dog's normal rectal temperature is between 100.5 to 102.5 Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures may require a trip to the veterinarian, depending upon other symptoms as well. Techniques such as feeling the dog's ears, head, or nose are certainly inaccurate. You must find out the internal temperature of the dog. Ear thermometers may also be used on the dog, this is also an effective, accurate and reliable way to take the dog''s temperature without any intrusion.
Steps to take the dog's rectal temperature:
Some dogs may not allow you to take their temperature this way, if this is the case you may want to resort to taking the temperature with an ear thermometer.
- Lubricate the thermometer with petroleum jelly, KY jelly or other water-based lubricant.
- Have someone hold the head of the dog tightly, gently hugging the dog.
- Lift the tail, and slowly and very gently insert the thermometer into the rectum. Insert the thermometer about one inch and hold in place for about two minutes, usually the thermometer will beep when it has taken an accurate temperature.
- Remove thermometer after time has elapsed and read temperature.
A dog's normal ear temperature is between 100.0 to 103.0 Fahrenheit. An ear thermometer works by measuring infrared heat waves that are emitted from the dogs ear drum area. It is important to place the thermometer deep into the horizontal ear canal to obtain an accurate reading.
If your dog's temperature is below 98 or above 104 degrees, you may wish to consult your veterinarian or local emergency facility immediately. A high temperature could indicate an illness or possibly heat related injury while a temperature below normal may indicate serious problems such as shock.