How to Treat a Dog's Fever and Bring Down Its Temperature

After a dog develops a fever, depending on the severity of the illness and the dog's physical condition, you can choose between physical or medicinal methods to reduce the fever. For mild fevers, you can first move the dog to a shaded area, and every five minutes, wipe its paws, groin, and armpits with alcohol, which are areas that easily dissipate heat.同时, encourage the dog to drink plenty of water to promote metabolism. However, if the dog's temperature is far above the normal range, you must take it to the vet for an injection of fever-reducing medication or oral fever-reducing drugs under the guidance of a doctor. After treatment, if the dog continues to have repeated bouts of fever, further inspection are recommended to see if the fever is caused by infectious diseases such as distemper or parvovirus.

Physical Cooling

Normally, a dog's temperature ranges between 38.5-39°C. If the dog's temperature does not exceed this range or only slightly exceeds it, the owner can cool it down at home.

First, move the dog to a shaded location and wrap it with a towel containing ice cubes to lower the ambient temperature. Then, wipe the dog's paws, groin, and armpits with alcohol every five minutes. Also, ensure the dog drinks plenty of water to stimulate metabolism. If the dog is unwilling or unable to drink, use a clean syringe to feed it water. During the illness, feed the dog light meals to avoid stomach discomfort.

Medicinal Cooling

If the dog's temperature significantly exceeds the normal range, immediately take it to a pet hospital for an injection of medication containing ingredients such as flunixin meglumine. The dog's temperature should return to normal within 1-2 hours. You can also administer oral medication containing flunixin meglumine, but be sure to follow the drug instructions and the dog's weight to avoid overdosing.

After administering medication, closely monitor the dog's temperature. If it experiences repeated bouts of fever, conduct further infectious disease tests to determine if the fever is caused by diseases such as distemper or parvovirus.