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Why is my dog rubbing his head and it feels hot? Is it a fever?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Male | neutered | 20 lbs

My dog is rubbing the top of his head. It feels hot.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 16th, 2018

Hi there. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately, you did not provide a lot of information so I am not sure how much I can help you.

There are many reasons why a dog would be rubbing the top of his head. The top two reasons would be an allergy or parasites (like fleas, mites, etc).

You really cannot go by feeling the top of the head to say it feels hot like implying he may have a fever. The only way to really get a good sense of a dog's temperature is to take it rectally. I can tell you that most dogs that have a fever will act sick - lethargic, not eating, hiding, not drinking, etc - so if the is not acting sick then I would not really be worried about his head being hot to the touch at this stage.

If the head rubbing continues I suggest you get him to your vet for an exam so you can find the underlying cause and get him the proper treatment.

Hope this helps. Best wishes.

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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