Is Fido still in his bed, lying uninterested in his toys, uninterested in the meaty bone stashed under his blanket? Even breakfast is going untouched and what is more worrying his drinking bowl is still full. Wave the leash at him and he stares at you with his rummy and dull eyes. Is Fido bored with life? Is he depressed? He may very well be making a statement about his home-life, but it much more likely that these listless behavioural symptoms are a sign of fever.
As with humans, feverishness is the body's mechanism for dealing with infections, either bacterial, viral or through toxins. A human knows how feverish person feels to the touch, this is not always so obvious in a dog. For a start their temperature is slightly higher than that of a human: in a healthy dog it ranges somewhere between 37.8C (100F) and 39.3C (102.7F). They moderate their temperature differently: whereas we will sweat, the dog pants. Although Fido will normally feel hotter than a human if you touch his ears or his nose, in the case of a fever, he will feel hotter than usual.
It may be that he is showing more obvious signs of illness, such as scratching, pain when he moves, or vomiting and/or diarrhoea. If there is any doubt about a fever in Fido, the only way to prove concretely is to take his temperature using a thermometer.
The best method is with a digital thermometer used rectally. It would be kinder to lubricate it with petroleum jelly and to distract Fido whilst this procedure is being carried out: Thermometers in one's personal little places are not pleasant, even for a dog.
A mild fever in dog, as well as in a human is not necessarily a bad thing: it helps to boost the immune system. If the temperature is slightly above 102F, monitor Fido, and check again a little while later to see if it has altered. A mild fever should be allowed to clear up all by itself consult but a vet if in any doubt. Sometimes poop in the passage can give a false reading, so allow Fido to go before taking his temperature again. If Fido's temperature increases to 105F or above and it's maintained at that level, this is much more serious and immediate attention should sort from a vet.
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