I was on auto pilot. I didn’t realize I had a sick dog.
Gizmo and I went for our morning walk. He was slow. Then a neighbor told us a coyote was very close. Since Gizmo had relieved himself, we turned around and went home.
My plan was to give Gizmo a bath. When I went to get him, he was almost willing. Strange! We walked into the shower without protest (hmmm), and I gave him a shower.
I toweled him off, and he slowly walked to the living room. My head was into cleaning up the dog bath stuff. I didn’t realize he was a sick dog.
I didn’t notice what he wasn’t doing.
A few minutes later, when I walked into the living room, he was curled up on the sofa and shivering! I had a sick dog!
Something was wrong. No puppy dancing around the room. No wiping his ears on the rug. No bouncing and playing keep away!
I touched him – he was HOT! I grabbed the “dog” thermometer and took his temperature. The rectal digital displayed 104.1 F! Yikes, he was a sick dog!
Previously I written “call vet 103 F” on the thermometer case.
Immediately I called his vet. Saturday morning and their schedule is full!
They fit us in an hour later. I immediately started doing Tellington TTouch® Ear Slides until we left for the vet. He was gagging a little.
When we reached the vet’s office, Gizmo’s temperature had dropped to 103 F. The vet ordered a blood test and an abdominal x-ray.
Why the x-ray? Check for any blockages.
X-ray was clear! We waited for the blood test.
I told the vet we have 30 people coming over tonight. She sent me to run errands.
Just as I got home from my errands, the vet office called and said pick him up in 45 minutes.
They checked his entire body and couldn’t find anything. He received fluids and an anti-nausea shot.
The vet techs said he had normal test results. Maybe a bug bite caused his temperature to spike. Yes, he was a sick dog with no found reasons.
I’m so grateful our vet is open until 4 pm on Saturdays!
Gizmo slept when we got home. When people arrived, he woke up and greeted them. He was quiet during the party and managed to steal paper napkins from laps.
The next day he was quiet and feeling much better.
Do you know signs of a sick dog with a fever? The signs are:
- Red eyes
- Lethargy/lack of energy
- Warm ears
- Warm dry nose
- Shivering
- Loss of appetite
- Couching
- Vomiting
The signs for a sick cat with a fever are:
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness or lethargy
- Shivering
- Rapid heart rate
- Decreased energy
Amazing fact — cats and dogs’ have the same temperature ranges. Like people, their baseline can be a little lower or higher. It’s helpful to know your pet’s temperature baseline.
Normal range for dogs and cats is 101 F to 102.5 F (38.3 C to 39.16 C). Call vet 103 F (39.4 C). At 106 F (41.1 C), the fever can cause damage to organs and can be fatal!
I’m grateful Gizmo showed me he was a sick dog. I couldn’t ignore his shivers when I was distracted.
Sometimes pets hide their pain, and we don’t notice they aren’t feeling well. Sometimes we know they aren’t feeling well, and don’t know if they want to go to the vet.
Many pets have shown me their discomforts, pain, and emotions in an animal communication. One cat gave me a heck of a sinus headache! She wanted to go to the vet.
Concerned about your pet? Schedule your pet’s communication! Your pet is waiting to answer your questions.
