What tests are needed when my 3-year-old dog has frequent fevers?

My next step would be to send off blood for a test for plague (Yersinia pestis) and Tularemia, especially if your dog has access to areas where there are rodents, squirrels and rabbits. These would not be included in regular blood work. You may also want tod discuss a disease called malignant hyperthermia with your veterinarian. Other common causes of "fever of unknown origin" would be tumors, however your vet apparently ruled those out with blood tests, ultrasound, and xray and possibly blood parasites such as Ehrlichia spp, Babesia spp and similar. A heartworm test may also be advisable.

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Glad to talk to a fellow colleague. I think in a case like this the first thing to consider is what is causing the clinical findings. In an older Golden retriever with such a high fever, I would be very concerned about underlying causes that can cause fevers such as for example an upper urinary tract infection such as pyelonephritis which can explain both the fever and the high renal values or possibly cancer. I think further diagnostics that can be pursued include abdominal ultrasound and urine culture and susceptibility. If there is any concern for lymphoma (due to for example the presence of peripheral lymphadenopathy), I would recommend checking an ionized calcium secondary to lymphoma for example as that could explain the increased renal values and potentially the fever. A CBC would also be helpful to try to see if there is an immature neutrophilia for example that could further support an infectious disease though this can also occur due to cancer to some extent. Thorough fluid therapy is important though again, diagnostics to try to pinpoint the cause of the fever would be crucial. If you are unable to proceed with diagnostics and physical examination does not point out any other possible causes, I would consider using broad-spectrum antibiotics such as enrofloxacin and Clavamox. Best of luck! Feel free to get back to use to further discuss this case.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Based on this bloodwork I can see that she is anemic, has elevated inflammatory cells, has low chloride and sodium and perhaps a slightly elevated creatinine (which can signal kidney issues though I cannot read it well there). These are not indicative of any disease in particular. This can be due to an infection for sure though. Other possibilities include an inflammatory condition, among other possibilities. I highly recommend you contact the veterinarian that has been treating her to discuss this bloodwork and proceed with therapy accordingly as she has not improved completely. They know her case better and would be able to help further. Best of luck!

This presentation could be due to a variety of possible reasons, such as infections, possibly intermittent, intoxications, immune depression or even tumors. Without more clinical informations it is difficult to give you more detailed informations. I would recommend an immediate veterinary check up. A blood test may be needed to start investigating this problem.

There is a very high white blood cell count that is mostly neutrophils so there is definitely an underlying infection somewhere in the body. She is also very anemic and her chloride is very low. Unfortunately, her symptoms are non-specific. Anything disease process or illness can cause lack of appetite. You can not use feel to assess body temperature. They often feel warm to the touch but their body temperature will be normal, however, in this case, with the underlying infection I suspect she is feverish. You would need to take a rectal temperature to get a proper reading. The first thing that always comes to mind in a an unspayed dog is a uterine infection (pyometra) so I suggest you speak to the vet about that possibility. If it is not that you will just have to continue testing for things until you find something. The list of possibilities is very long from tick borne diseases to cancer and anything in between. Unfortunately, there is no way for me to diagnose her via the internet. I hope this clarifies a bit and I wish Stephanie a speedy recovery.

Maxi certainly sounds quite sick, but I am glad to hear that she is eating and drinking normally. As I'm sure your vet discussed, tick borne diseases are one of the more common causes of a fever of unknown origin (FUO). However, FUOs can also be caused by other infectious diseases (toxoplasmosis, Bartonella, Brucella, mycoplasma, fungal diseases, etc.) as well as immune-mediated or cancerous causes. To answer your question, yes, you will need to do some more diagnostics to get to the bottom of this issue. Different causes of the FUO will require different treatments. Maxi's vet will be able to guide you as to their next tier of diagnostic testing based upon their clinical suspicions. I hope that all goes well!

A fever this high is usually indicative of a bacterial or viral disease going on. Your veterinarian will need to run some tests to try and determine the cause of the fever. Once the cause is identified the proper antibiotics, antifungals, or antipruritic drugs can be prescribed. The tablet given to your dog is basically a fever reducer but will not treat the cause of the fever. I would recommend taking your dog in for a recheck as soon as you’re able to. The exact cause of the fever cannot be determined without further workup and diagnostics. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.