Okay, so the other day I noticed something a bit off with my furry best friend, Buster. We were chilling on the couch, and I was giving him his usual ear scratches when I thought, “Huh, his head feels kinda warm.” Now, I’m no vet, but I’ve had dogs my whole life, and this felt warmer than normal. So, naturally, I started to worry a little.
First thing I did was feel his ears and nose. Everyone says a dry, warm nose means a fever, right? Well, his nose was a little dry, but nothing crazy. His ears, though, definitely felt warm to the touch.
Next, I tried to remember if he’d been acting any differently. Was he eating okay? Yep, still gobbling down his food like a champ. Was he drinking water? Yep, seemed normal there too. Was he lethargic? Hmm, maybe a tad less zoomies than usual, but he still wanted to play fetch, so I wasn’t sure.
Since I couldn’t get a solid read on him, I decided to grab the thermometer. Now, let me tell you, taking a dog’s temperature is not the most glamorous part of pet ownership. I won’t go into the gory details, but let’s just say it involves a rectal thermometer and a very patient (and slightly confused) dog.
- Step 1: Find the thermometer. (Ours is specifically for pets, thank goodness.)
- Step 2: Lubricate the tip. (Vaseline works wonders.)
- Step 3: Distract Buster with treats while… well, you know.
- Step 4: Wait for the beep. (The longest few seconds of my life.)
The thermometer finally beeped, and I pulled it out. His temperature was a little elevated – 102.5°F. Normal for dogs is between 101°F and 102.5°F, so he was right on the edge.
Because he was at the upper limit of normal and seemed mostly fine, I decided to monitor him closely. I kept an eye on his water intake, made sure he wasn’t overexerting himself, and gave him lots of extra cuddles (which he definitely didn’t complain about). I also put a damp, cool cloth on his head for a little while to help cool him down.
Over the next few hours, I checked his temperature a couple more times. It fluctuated a bit, but stayed within that borderline range. By the evening, he seemed back to his usual goofy self, and his head felt cooler.
My Takeaway
While it turned out to be nothing serious (this time!), it was a good reminder to pay attention to my dog’s body. Even subtle changes, like a warmer-than-usual head, can be a sign that something’s up. If I see something is off, I am going to check it!
