Causes of Fever in Dogs

Dogs have always been regarded as man’s best friend and like humans, they can suffer from certain diseases that can affect their overall health conditions. One of the most common health problems that may affect dogs is fever, although oftentimes, owners may not likely notice this condition in their pets.

Dog fever can be caused by a number of factors. Some of these include:

• Infection. Dogs are susceptible to infections that can affect any part of their body. The infections may be bacterial, fungal, or viral. Depending on the type of organism that has caused the infection, different kinds of symptoms may be experienced by the dog. Types of infection that may lead to high fever in dogs include lung infection, kidney infection, and brain infection.
• Diseases of the immune system.  Sometimes, a dog may suffer from certain immune diseases, leading to high fever.  
• Vaccination. This can cause a certain reaction in the pet’s immune system. Fever occurs as a result of the body’s reaction to the drugs or vaccine injected into the animal’s body.
• Inflammation. Sometimes, the fever may be caused by inflammation occurring in certain parts of the dog’s body.
• Cancer or neoplasia. This is one of the worst causes of fever in dogs. Cancer can come in many forms and may affect particular parts of the dog’s body, including the bone marrow, blood, kidneys, liver, lung, and virtually any organ of the animal’s body.
• Idiopathic causes. Also known as “fever of unknown origin” or FUO. When a dog is said to have fever due to idiopathic causes, this means that the reason behind the condition cannot be determined. The dog may be suffering from certain underlying causes that remain unknown to the owner or to the examining veterinarian even after several tests have been administered.



Canine temperature is naturally high, that is why it can be difficult for a pet owner to determine whether the pet is suffering from fever or not. A dog’s normal temperature is in the range of 101 – 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit as compared to the human normal temperature of 97.6 – 99.6 degrees Fahrenheit. To determine whether a dog has fever, the owner or the vet may look for symptoms or may use a digital thermometer to check abnormalities in the animal’s temperature. The digital thermometer is often inserted into the animal’s rectum for an accurate or near-accurate reading of its body temperature.