Unlock This Video Now for FREE
This video is normally available to paying customers.
You may unlock this video for FREE. Enter your email address for instant access AND to receive ongoing updates and special discounts related to this topic.
In this lesson, we're going to dig into cat and dog fever, while also reiterating once more the difference between external factors that can cause heating vs. internal factors that can do the same.
You may recall from a previous lesson the difference between a dog heating up due to a virus vs. a hot environment. In one instance, your brain is telling your body to heat up as a form of protection. While in the other, it's hardly a matter of protection; instead it's a matter of survival. Being able to recognize the difference between these two scenarios will again be important for this lesson.
If your pet has a fever, she'll also have an elevated temperature. But unlike those cases of overheating due to external factors, she won't feel warm and she won't be trying to cool herself off. Her brain has instructed her body to get warmer, not cooler. This is similar to what happens when people get a fever.
Just like when you get the seasonal flu, a cold shower is the last thing you would want. The same is also true for your pet when she has a fever. In fact, she may still want to get warmer and may even be shivering. If she is, wrap her up in a blanket.
Pro Tip: It's important to not give any medications to your pet, even if she has a fever. Medications like aspirin and acetaminophen (Tylenol) are made for humans and may actually be harmful for your pet, depending on the underlying cause of the fever. In some cases, those medications may even be toxic to your pets, and actually, Tylenol is just that to cats.
It's also important to assess your pet's behaviors and vital signs to determine what's going on with her. If everything else appears normal, it may be reasonable to keep an eye on her and make a veterinary appointment in a day or two.
However, if you notice more abnormalities in addition to the fever, you should probably seek immediate veterinary care. Always err on the side of caution and know that emergencies can pop up suddenly.
