Is my dog's warm belly a fever? How to lower it and how long?

Is he normal otherwise? Does he seem lethargic/low energy? Good appetite? Normal stools? Buy a digital thermometer and take your puppy's temperature rectally. It's not hard, although puppies can be squirmy, so you may need some help holding him. Use a little something like baby oil to lubricate the end, and just stick the tip in his anus. Normal temperature for a puppy is no more than 102.2 Fahrenheit. (Also, if you're getting a reading of less than 99 Fahrenheit, that's not accurate). If your puppy's temp is higher than this, or if he's not acting perfectly normally, please take him in for a vet visit.

If your dog had been exercising or out in the heat it is possible his temperature could have increased due to this, but 104.1 is a pretty high temperature if you feel it was truly an accurate reading. We can see dogs temperatures get that high if they are really hot/excited/stressed and they are overweight or brachycephalic (smoosh faced) but I am concerned that his energy level was decreased. If he still doesn't seem himself tomorrow then I would bring him in for an exam. If overnight his temperature gets very high again, or he becomes weak, has trouble breathing, or his gums become pale in color or he starts having other symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea then I would consider bringing him in to the emergency vet.

If you think he has a fever you need to take his temperature rectally so you can know for sure. He may feel warm to the touch but I would be surprised if he had a fever and was still eating/drinking. With a fever they often go off food and water. If his abdomen is painful to the touch then he should be examined by your veterinarian. There are many different things that can cause abdominal pain. If he is acting OK and you find he does not have a fever then I don't think it's an emergency but try to get him examined as soon as you can. Hope this helps. If you have more questions you can always opt for a private consultation where we can chat back and forth. That way you can ask as many questions as you'd like. Best wishes.

This temperature is normal for a dog. Their normal body temperature is 99-102.5 Fahrenheit. He does not have a fever so no need to give him medication. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This does not mean necessarily that there is an issue. However, this may be due to an infection or perhaps something like inflammation. If he is doing fine then it is probably ok to continue to monitor him for now. However, if there is something wrong with him such as not eating or vomiting, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Best of luck!

Hi there. Normal temperature in dogs ranges from 100.5 - 102.5. So 102.9 is just barely above normal, and not at all surprising if you've just been on a walk. This shouldn't be any cause for concern at all, as long as Bruno is acting normal :)

Nancy may just be very tired from her play session, sore from the exercise, or be sick from some illness or heat stress. Since we don't know what is causing her lethargy, I cannot recommend any medications. You can take a rectal temperature with a human thermometer. If it is over 102.5 then she has a fever and should be checked out by a vet. If she does not have a fever, then monitor her for 24 hours. If she is still lethargic then she should be checked out by a vet.