Normal Temperature in Dogs

A dog’s normal temperature is one of the main indicators that determine its health. And many owners, unfortunately, do not think about how important this information is for assessing the general condition of their pet. It is the first thing that a doctor notes at an appointment when examining a patient. Initially, this data can become the first alarm bell for the owner of the animal, signaling that something is wrong. How do you understand that a dog needs medical help? In what case can you provide first aid at home?

What is the normal body temperature for dogs?

The average body temperature of a dog is 37.5–39.0 °C. There is a theory that the larger the dog, the lower its temperature.

What influences temperature?

• physiological state of the animal’s body (pregnancy, stress, hunger, food intake);
• environmental conditions (e.g. humidity, cold, heat);
• pathological condition of the body, diseases – viral, bacterial infections, massive injuries, poisoning, etc.
• Let’s look at what temperature is normal for different dogs.

Small breed dogs

The normal body temperature for small breed dogs weighing from 2 to 10 kg (for example, Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier, Biewer Terrier, Toy Terrier, Belgian Griffon, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Border Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Maltese, Pomeranian, Chinese Crested, Petit Brabancon, Japanese Chin, Pug) is 38.5–39.3 °C.

Medium breed dogs

The normal temperature for medium breeds from 11 to 25 kg (for example, Austrian Hound, Australian Shepherd, Austrian Pinscher, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Cocker Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel, English Setter, Basset Artesian Normand, Basenji, Beagle, Border Collie, Bearded Collie, Barbet, Belgian Shepherd, Bouvier des Ardennes) is 37.5–39.0 °C.

Large breed dogs

The normal body temperature for large breed dogs weighing 26 kg and over 45 kg (e.g. Husky, Labrador, Doberman, Cane Corso, Alabai, Akita, Basset Hound, Boxer, White Swiss Shepherd, Weimaraner, Dalmatian, Dogue de Bordeaux, Bullmastiff, Spanish Mastiff, Neopolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Rottweiler, St. Bernard, Tibetan Mastiff, Leonberger, Bernese Mountain Dog) is 37.2–38.5 °C.

Temperature norms for puppies

Newborn puppies do not yet have a thermoregulatory system, so they may experience significant increases or decreases in temperature under the influence of the environment. Normally, a puppy’s body temperature is slightly higher than that of an adult dog – 38.5-39.5 °C.

Measuring Temperature in Dogs

Body temperature is regulated by contact of the environment with superficial blood vessels. Most often – through breathing (tongue, mouth), superficial vessels (on the joints of the paws), through the pads of the fingers, and the auricles.

Body temperature can be measured with a mercury or electronic thermometer, as well as an infrared thermometer. In case of using an infrared thermometer, it is necessary to spread the dog’s fur on the belly and apply it as close to the skin as possible. In this case, an adjustment of 1-1.5 degrees is immediately taken into account, which must be added to the obtained value. If there are doubts, or the indicator is high, it is necessary to double-check it by rectal examination with a mercury or electronic thermometer.

Rectal examination will require assistance from outside. Someone should fix the pet on its side in a lying position or in a standing position. This examination is carried out as follows: a plastic bag is put on the tip of the thermometer and disinfected with an antiseptic solution. Then, to avoid mechanical discomfort or damage to the anus and rectum of the dog, it is lubricated with a greasy cream, petroleum jelly or oil. Then the prepared tip of the thermometer is inserted into the rectum of the pet. The measurement time directly depends on the type of thermometer. For an electronic one – 60 seconds, for a mercury one – 5-7 minutes.

It is very important to conduct the study in calm conditions, without showing aggression or shouting, physical violence. Otherwise, the frightened pet will behave hostilely, resist, and each such measurement will subsequently become torture for both the owner and the dog/puppy.

Possible causes of high and low temperature

An increase or decrease in body temperature in dogs can be observed for many reasons – both physiologically natural and under the influence of pathogenic factors and diseases.

A dog’s low temperature may be due to hypothermia, poisoning, systemic diseases, prolonged hunger, etc. Visually, this condition may manifest itself as chills, lethargy, weakness, trembling, refusal to eat. The lower parts of the animal’s extremities are usually cold.

An elevated temperature can be a reaction to stress, pregnancy, physical activity, vaccination, high ambient temperatures, an inflammatory process of any origin, both viral and bacterial. Clinically, this is manifested by lethargy, refusal to eat, heavy breathing. The pet’s ears, paws and nose are hot to the touch. Owners often pay attention to the dog’s dry nose as an independent indicator of an increase in temperature, it is unreliable. But, at the same time, a weakened pet may stop licking its nose due to dehydration and dry mucous membranes. Therefore, a dry surface of the nose, in itself, can sometimes indicate that the pet should be examined and its temperature checked.

If you notice any changes in your dog’s body temperature, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.

Diseases

1. Heat stroke is a long-term effect of high ambient temperatures on the body. This condition occurs more often in the summer in hot countries. The pet overheats, the body’s thermoregulation is disrupted. Thus, it is very difficult for a dog to cool down on its own. Symptoms: lethargy, apathy, refusal to eat, rapid breathing, loss of consciousness. First aid at home: cold compresses, wet towel, coolness. Treatment in a clinic: diagnostics, IVs, monitoring of the general condition.
2. Pyometra is a hormonal inflammation of the female reproductive system. Symptoms: irregular estrus, lethargy, discharge from the loop, foul odor from the pet, refusal to eat. Treatment in a clinic: therapeutic or surgical treatment, which is accompanied by symptomatic correction of the pet’s condition – IVs, antibacterial therapy, etc.
3. Viral diseases – for example, plague of carnivores, parvovirus enteritis, infectious hepatitis. At home, the dog owner can ensure the prevention of these diseases with regular vaccinations. Symptoms – depending on the type of infectious disease: diarrhea, vomiting, discharge from the eyes or nose, neurological changes, up to attacks. Treatment in a clinic: infusion, antibacterial, antiemetic therapy, monitoring the pet’s condition and test results.
4. Blood parasites are microorganisms that enter the dog’s body with an insect bite, most often a tick, and affect it, causing, among other things, a non-specific increase in temperature. Symptoms: lethargy, refusal to eat, brown urine, diarrhea, intermittent lameness – depending on the type of parasite that caused the pathological condition. Treatment in a clinic: antiparasitic drugs, IVs, anti-inflammatory drugs. To avoid re-infection of the dog, the owner is strongly recommended to treat against external parasites – fleas and ticks.
5. Systemic inflammatory processes – for example, extensive purulent and wound lesions, sepsis. Symptoms: weakness, external lesions, lethargy, refusal to eat, foul odor. Treatment in a clinical setting: surgical cleaning of wounds, treatment and washing, antibacterial therapy, IVs.

Causes of low temperature:

1. Hypothermia is a decrease in body temperature due to prolonged exposure of the body to low ambient temperatures. It is more common in motherless puppies, and rarely in adult animals. Symptoms: lethargy, refusal to eat, frequent sleep, bluish surface of paws or unpigmented nose, low body temperature to the touch. First aid at home: artificially increase body temperature – warm with your own body heat, water or electric heating pads. For safety reasons, it is important to carefully monitor all artificial heating devices. Treatment in a clinic: it is important to examine the dog and exclude any secondary causes of a decrease in temperature, such as malnutrition, poisoning, helminthic invasion, asymptomatic infectious process, etc.
2. Poisoning can occur for various reasons: eating household chemicals, domestic or wild plants, rat poison, spoiled food, etc. Poisoning usually manifests itself in changes in the gastrointestinal tract – vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, or locally – under the influence of insect or snake venom, swelling at the bite site, necrosis of surrounding soft tissue, pain. Immediately after you discover that your dog has eaten toxic substances, it is important to go to the clinic immediately. Within 5-6 hours, the veterinarian can still perform a gastric lavage, and all available poison will be washed out of the stomach along with all its contents. Next, antioxidant therapy will be carried out – if there is an antidote to this poison, or infusion therapy – in order to dilute and remove the poison from the blood with urine. Wounds and bite sites are also important to treat as quickly as possible. Further therapy will vary depending on the poison that the dog was poisoned with. Therefore, it is extremely important for the owner to pay attention to or take with him to the clinic the drug, plant, insect that poisoned the dog, if, of course, such was found.
3. Systemic organ damage – for example, the liver, kidneys, cardiovascular system. Chronic or acute disorders of the pet’s organs can be severe and often fatal. Therefore, it is extremely important to contact a veterinary clinic without waiting for complications and deterioration of the dog’s condition. Diagnostics, treatment and prescriptions will directly depend on the organ system that was affected. As a rule, the following types of research are included in the minimum diagnostics: general clinical blood test, biochemical blood test, electrolytes, ultrasound.
4. Blood loss, post-traumatic shock . In such a situation, it is important to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible, if it is observed externally, and transport the animal to the clinic. The doctor will conduct a triage, assess all the vital signs of the pet and develop a strategy for helping and stabilizing its condition. In such cases, the speed of diagnosis and assistance is of the utmost importance. The owner is often asked to wait in the hall and drink water while the doctors are helping the patient. Usually, a general clinical blood test is performed, blood pressure and sugar levels are measured, a brief ultrasound of the chest and abdominal cavities is done, and an X-ray is possible. Depending on the injuries detected, the pet will be given the necessary assistance.
5. Hormonal disorders . For example, hypothyroidism is a chronic disorder of the thyroid gland, in which there is a constant slowdown in all processes occurring in the body. It manifests itself in edema, a decrease in temperature, obesity, etc. Here, periodic diagnostics and a preventive examination by a veterinarian at least once a year are important. He will be able to note changes in dynamics, conduct tests for thyroid hormones and prescribe further therapy.

Physiological reasons:

1. Childbirth, pre-birth condition . Two or three days before the onset of labor, without any harm to health, the dog’s temperature usually drops by 1-1.5 degrees. This serves as an indicator for the owner about the need to prepare for the approaching birth.
2. Stress . This is an adaptive reaction of the body, manifested in response to the impact of environmental stress factors. It is impossible to accurately indicate all the probable stress factors affecting your dog’s body, but one can definitely include among them: a visit to the doctor, a trip by car if the dog is not used to it, the owner leaving home. During a stressful state, the pet’s temperature can increase by 1 or even 2 degrees Celsius. And in this case, an increase in temperature in itself does not indicate any pathology.
3. Physical activity . During vigorous jogging or exercise, blood pressure increases, which contributes to an increase in temperature by 1–2 degrees Celsius.
4. Feeding . During the period of eating food, the body spends quite a large amount of energy on its consumption: chewing, splitting, assimilation. During this period of active internal work of the body, the body temperature can increase by 0.5-1 degree Celsius.
5. Vaccination is an event aimed at introducing weakened viral components into the body in order to form a stable immunity in the body. Within 24 hours from the moment of vaccination, the pet may be lethargic, apathetic, and sleep more. In particular, the temperature may increase by 1–2 degrees Celsius.
6. Ambient temperature . Body temperature changes, upward or downward, respectively, under the influence of heat or cold, high or low humidity, especially considering the individual characteristics of the pet (voluminous fur or, conversely, short, sparse pile).