Okay, so the other day I noticed my dog’s head felt warmer than usual. It wasn’t, like, burning up, but definitely warmer than I’m used to when I give him head scratches. My first thought was, naturally, “Oh no, is he getting sick?”
Started Simple – Observation
First thing I did was just observe him. Was he acting normal? Still eating, drinking, playing, pooping okay? Yup, all systems were go on that front. He was his usual goofy, tail-wagging self. That was a relief, but I still felt that warm head.
Checked the Basics
- Ears: I checked his ears first, since ear infections can sometimes cause a warm head. I just gently felt around the base of his ears and looked inside as best I could. Everything looked normal – no redness, no weird smells, no excessive gunk.
- Gums: I also gently lifted his lip and check the gums. They are pink and healthy.
Time for the Thermometer
Since I was still a bit worried, I decided to take his temperature. Now, I’m no vet, but I do have a rectal thermometer for him (yes, it’s specifically for dogs!). Getting him to cooperate is always a fun little wrestling match. I used some lubricant, got it in there (he wasn’t thrilled, to say the least), and waited for the beep.
It read 101.5°F. I remembered the internet said that a normal temperature for a dog is between 101°F and 102.5°F, so he was right in the middle of the normal range.
Conclusion
After all that, I figured he was probably fine. Maybe he’d just been running around a bit more than usual, or maybe the house was a little warmer. I kept an eye on him for the rest of the day, and his head felt normal again later on. Still, I made a mental note to check in with the vet if it happened again or if he started showing any other symptoms. Better safe than sorry, right? It’s always a good idea to just pay attention to your furry friend’s body and behavior. If anything seems off, better to check it and be relieved than to ignore it and regret it later.
