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5 Common Causes of Fever in Pets

5 Common Causes of Fever in Pets

Updated On December 14th, 2016

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Reviewed By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Fever, or elevated body temperature, is a common problem in sick pets. We all know that illnesses like the flu can cause a fever in humans – pets can get illnesses like this also, but what many pet owners don’t know is that there are lots of other things that can cause your dog or cat to have a fever. This is one reason that it’s very important to see your veterinarian if you are concerned that your pet has a fever, since a diagnosis of the underlying problem will be required for proper treatment.

Read on for more information on some of the things that can cause an elevated body temperature in dogs and cats.

Bacterial or viral disease

A bacterial or viral disease is one of the most common causes of fever in dogs and cats that we see in daily practice. This could include illnesses like parvovirus, canine distemper, leptospirosis, or Lyme disease in dogs, and feline panleukopenia, FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), calicivirus, herpesvirus, or feline leukemia in cats.

Pets with a bacterial or viral disease will often have other symptoms of being ill, such as nasal discharge, red or runny eyes, and vomiting or diarrhea. When any of these symptoms are accompanied by a fever, it’s best to have your pet examined by a veterinarian right away to find out what’s wrong so that appropriate treatment can be given.

Infection

An infection somewhere in the body is another cause of fever in pets that most veterinarians see very frequently. Even if the actual infection only involves a small area, the immune system’s response to the infection often causes fever and other symptoms such as not eating and laying around more than usual.

In cats, a common example is an abscess caused by a bite wound from another cat or other animal. This often causes swelling and tenderness at the site of the infection, as well as fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. In some cases, it can take some careful searching to find the wound – so it may not be obvious at first that this is the problem!

In dogs, we can sometimes see fever as a symptom of a severe skin infection called pyoderma, or an infected injury due to being hit by a car or attacked by another animal. In these cases, prescription antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications would be needed to treat the infection.

Auto-immune disease

An auto-immune disease is an illness caused by the body’s immune system becoming confused and attacking normal cells or tissues. This causes a widespread inflammatory response in the body, which in turn often causes a fever.

There are several auto-immune diseases that are quite common in dogs and cats, including IMHA (immune-mediated hemolytic anemia), ITP (immune-mediated thrombocytopenia), immune-mediated polyarthritis, and SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus).

These illnesses typically cause other symptoms such as pale gums, unexplained bruising, or joint pain and swelling in addition to fever. All of these problems are quite serious, so you should take your pet to a veterinarian immediately if you suspect that something like this might be wrong.

Cancer

It can be surprising for some pet owners to learn that cancer can be a cause of fever in some pets. An elevated body temperature can be seen with many different types of cancer, including lymphoma, osteosarcoma (bone cancer), and even mast cell tumors on the skin. In most cases, the fever would be present over a long period of time, and the pet would generally also have other symptoms such as weight loss, decreased appetite, and possibly pain at the site of the tumor.

Seizures

Prolonged seizures and muscle tremors are another possible cause of elevated body temperature in dogs and cats. This occurs because when the muscles of the body are contracting constantly, they produce a tremendous amount of heat – this can cause life-threatening temperatures as high as 108-100 degrees Fahrenheit (or 42-44 Celsius) in some cases.

Immediate veterinary care is needed in these situations, since the pet can die or suffer permanent brain damage in as little as 10-15 minutes with such a high body temperature. Your veterinarian can act quickly to treat the seizure, and will also start IV fluids and other emergency measures to help bring the body temperature down as rapidly and safely as possible.

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Related Questions

My main coon has what I think is fever blisters on her lip. Should I be concerned?

Hi there and thank you for using Boop by Petco to address your concerns about Buttercup! Based on the photo you provided, it appears as though what is shown in the video could be blisters or cysts that have developed on the chin region. I would recommend applying a warm water washcloth to the area 2-3 times daily and consider applying a veterinary product with benzoyl peroxide in it. I would also consider having a veterinarian take a look at the area as an in person evaluation would give you more of an answer. The veterinarian can take a small needle and see if any contents can be expressed from the area to confirm if it is a cyst or not. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction!

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My cat has a minor surface abrasion on left shoulder, just to the inside of his shoulder blade. He's had this about 2 weeks, I've been caring for this normally. He keeps licking it open again and will not let scab heal. No fever, lethargy, discharge or limping. Slight hair loss around site, as normal. Site is no more than half inch long, but is getting larger in girth as he opens the site. Was size of rice grain, now seems to be size of #2 pencil eraser. I just cant get it to heal.

Hello, my name is Dr. Elizabeth and I am happy to help. I hate to hear this lesion on Patch is not healing. I think the main thing to address is the licking. The first thing you need to do is stop the licking (since this can make it worse). Patches should wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Remember that the collar must come out past her nose in order to be effective. Next, wear gloves to handle the lesion and be sure to wash your hands afterwards. Get pet wipes that contain Chlorhexidine. Cleanse the area twice a day. This will help to control the number of topical pathogens as well as remove oil and dead skin cells. Lastly, after the area is completely dry, apply a topical antibiotic twice a day. Just a dab will do and rub it in well. Neosporin is fine to use. Again, wear gloves or apply with a q-tip. Patches needs to be indoors at all times. Cats can't wear elizabethan collars outside as they are a choking hazard if they were to get hung up. She can only wear the collar if she is in a safe environment. If the spot is not much better in 1 week, if it gets worse at any point or if the lesion is not completely healed within 2 weeks, Patches needs to be examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any additional questions.

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My cat was prescribed Onsoir for a corneal ulcer and fever. I crushed the pill and mixed it in some wet food for administration. But I noticed in the instructions, it said not to crush or break the pill. I am worried this will lead to side effects? Will she be okay?

Onsior is best given as a whole tablet. Crushing it is not ideal. It will not harm her or cause side effects, it just may not be as efficacious. Have you tried giving the tablet in a Pill Pocket? Typically they will eat the tablet whole that way. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/greenies-pill-pockets-tuna-and-cheese-flavor-cat-treats ) Give her a couple with nothing inside. Make sure she likes and eat is and then hide the tablet in one. I would try that first.

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My cat hasn't been eating all day since this morning. She drinks vary little water & she moves vary slow. She'll sleep in the closet from time to time. But she been moving around little by little. This started on Wednesday morning. I took her to the vet later on in the afternoon because she wasn't eating anything & drinking vary little & they told me she had a fever. So i brought her home & then she got better the next day.. And now she is getting sick again.

Sorry she is sick again. I think you should take her back to your vet for a work-up to determine the cause. Your vet can run some bloodwork and take x-rays, if needed, to help figure out why she is sick. She could have an infection, metabolic disease, endocrine disease, etc. and need medications to help treat.

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Hey my dog is pregnant and should have her puppy’s any day and it’s her first time her temperature is 97.7 does this mean she getting ready to go in labor she 59 days and milks already been comeing out for 3 or 4 days now

Given Pixie's temperature drop and milk production, it does sound likely that she's preparing to go into labor within the next day or two. While 62 days post-ovulation is the average gestational length for dogs, there's certainly a bit of variation with a few days more or less. Be sure that you have a quiet, clean, and comfortable area where Pixie can be mostly left alone to deliver her pups. Obviously, keep a close (but unobtrusive) eye on her! These articles have more information about the whelping process and puppy care: https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pregnancy/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/dystocia-difficulty-giving-birth-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/orphaned-puppies-how-to-raise-them/ I hope that everything goes well!

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Hello. I noticed this strange scratch looking wound on Luka’s whisker area. It looks bloody and some fur is missing too. I put on a glove and he allowed me to touch it. He didn’t cry out, attack, or pull away when I touched the wound. He is otherwise healthy and normal; no fever, no physical or behavioral changes. What is this? Could he have just pulled out a whisker? Or scratched an itch a little too hard? Is this something he should go to the vet for, or not a big deal? Thank you.

Hello and thank you for contacting Boop by Petco. It looks like a superficial wound or scratch. Luka may have lost one of his whiskers, it will grow back. You should clean this area twice daily with cotton buds and warm, boiled water or an antiseptic skin solution (for example 4% Hibiclens). As long as it is healing OK and it is not bothering Luka you can manage this at home. However, if you notice that the lip becomes swollen or painful, you should take Luka to your local vets for an appointment.

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