My 6-week-old puppy is hot, whining, and seems unwell. Is it a fever?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Nose and tongue temperature is not a test for a fever. I would recommend taking his temperature rectally to check for a fever. Normal dog temperature is 100-102.5. If he has a fever, I would take him to a vet to determine why. If he doesn’t, you can offer him ice cubes or soft rubber toys for the teething. Good luck and kisses to Buchy!

A fever is very concerning, especially in a pup this young. I would have him seen as soon as possible to figure out the source of the fever. There are many causes of fever, but certainly infection would be a consideration, and quite worrisome, in a pup this young. Separating him from the litter is likely a good idea until you know for sure the cause. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

A high fever and lethargy should be addressed by your veterinarian. In a puppy this young they will want to rule out disease processes such as the Parvovirus, and will likely want to obtain some blood work. While it could be a simple cold, typically these do not cause high fevers. Antibiotic therapy may be required if there is an infection.

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.

I am sorry to hear he is not feeling well. I would highly encourage you to have a follow up appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Young puppies need nutrition and will Parrish quickly without it. Viral infections such as parvovirus can cause fever and inappetance as well as many other possibilities. Please him evaluated again, I am very concerned about him. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Yes, 102.3 would be considered in the normal range for a puppy's temperature. His skin can feel warm for a variety of different reasons, depending on where you are feeling, the temperature of the surrounding environment, etc. - this is not a reliable indicator of whether or not a fever is present. The rectal temperature is always the best way to check :)