My dog has a fever and is limping. What can I do at home?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes dogs feel warm and do not have a fever so I would not necessarily think that she has a fever because her tongue is warm. If you wanted to be sure, you can check her temperature rectally and if in between 99.5 and 102.5 then she would be ok. I do recommend though that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for the foot issue. This can sometimes occur from trauma to the leg and it would be worth knowing if there is any evidence of a fracture or something of that nature. Your veterinarian could perform radiographs if deemed necessary on examination. Good luck and have a great day!

These symptoms are very suspicious of a tick born disease such as tick fever, babesiosis or lyme disease. you should take him back to your vet and request a blood test to identify those potential blood parasites, treatment is with some very specific medications and antibiotics.

Normal temperature of a dog is 102.5 so her temp is just mildly elevated and could be caused by the stress and excitement of going to the vet. You could take her temperature at home and see if it elevated. Inflammation can could cause a mild elevation but I would be concerned if it increases and/or stays elevated. If she doesn't improve on the Deramaxx and the limp continues then your vet will need to do additional testing to determine the cause. An x-ray and blood work would definitely be recommended if she doesn't improve. Hope she feels better soon!

Poor girl. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do for a musculoskeletal injury. Over the counter pain meds shouldn't be given to pets b/c of a high risk of liver and/or kidney damage. You can try doing alternating cold and warm compresses on the sore area for 5-10 minutes a day. Also a warm water Epsom salt bath can help with some of the soreness. If she just has a minor injur like a muscle sprain, then letting her rest the leg and the cold and warm compresses should help improve her limping over the next 4-5 days. Also leash walking her only outside and not encouraging jumping and rough play can help the area heal. Here is a website link that also has some financial resources that may be of assistance for getting Princess seen by your vet. It sounds like she may need a radiograph of the leg and appropriate treatment depending on the underlying injury if things don't get better soon. http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html Best wishes and take care.

Hello and thank you very much for your question. With the history that you were giving me, I worried that there may be a puncture wound or abscess formation on the left rear leg. Another possibility would be that we have hurt our leg somehow and the pain associated has caused the temperature to rise. Nevertheless, with a temperature that high, your pet needs to see the veterinarian as soon as possible to get a correct diagnosis and treatment started. If there were not a fever associated, I would tell you to wait for 24 to 48 hours with complete rest of the cat with no movement. But because of the fever, you do need to see a veterinarian. Thanks a lot for your question. Have a good day.

I am very sorry to hear that Amica is limping, I am sure it is worrying for you both. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why a dog may limp, ranging from injury, infection, osteoarthritis, disorders of the growing bones or joints, and even some cancers. Dogs can also be very good at hiding the exact location of the problem. In order to determine the precise cause of Amica's limping it would be best to take her in for an examination by a veterinarian. A veterinarian will also be able to make Amica comfortable by providing pain relief medication. The vet may also perform an orthopaedic exam and an X-ray. If Amica seems very uncomfortable or depressed, you suspect a broken bone, the limb is dangling at an unnatural angle, a limb is being dragged, severe swelling is occurring, the limb is hot, bone is piercing the skin, or nonstop bleeding is occurring, Amica needs to see a veterinarian immediately. If none of the above are occurring, and due to the high frequency of trauma cases which heal on their own, in limping dogs, as well as Amica's young age, you can try conservative management at home for 24 hours to see if Amica improves. Try the following at home; Keep Amica as comfortable as possible Strict rest with as little movement as can be managed When moving handle with care Do not give Amica any medications without a veterinarian’s approval Apply a cold compress for first 24 hours Switch to a warm compress after 24 hours If pain or limping continues after 24 hours then take Amica to see a veterinarian. I hope this was a helpful answer and more importantly that Amica feels better soon. Warmest regards and best of luck to you both.

I am very sorry to hear that Gab is having trouble with her leg and limping, I am sure it is worrying for you both. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why a dog may limp, ranging from injury, infection, osteoarthritis, disorders of the growing bones or joints, and even some cancers. She may be licking at the paw because it hurts, or there is something inside of it such as a migrating grass seed. Signs of infection in a paw would include redness, swelling, and discharge. Gab would also likely have a fever. Here is an article to help you check if she has a fever; https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-signs-your-pet-has-a-fever In order to determine the precise cause of Gab's limb pain it would be best to take her in for an examination by a veterinarian. A veterinarian will also be able to make Gab comfortable by providing pain relief medication. The vet may also perform an orthopaedic exam and an X-ray. If Gab seems very uncomfortable or depressed, you suspect a broken bone, the limb is dangling at an unnatural angle, a limb is being dragged, severe swelling is occurring, the limb is hot, bone is piercing the skin, or nonstop bleeding is occurring, Gab needs to see a veterinarian immediately. If none of the above are occurring, and due to the high frequency of injury or trauma cases in limping dogs, you can try conservative management at home for 24 hours to see if Gab improves. Keep Gab as comfortable as possible, and strict rest with as little movement as can be managed When moving handle with care Do not give Gab any medications without a veterinarian’s approval Apply a cold compress for first 24 hours Switch to a warm compress after 24 hours If pain or limping continues after 24 hours then take Gab to see a veterinarian. I hope this was a helpful answer and more importantly that Gab feels better soon. Warmest regards and best of luck to you both.