Fever, cough, low energy: when to call the vet
Is your dog turning up his nose at his bowl, coughing a little or lying flat in his bed? Take a breath: most of the time, this is something you can keep an eye on. Your job isn't to diagnose, but to observe, to note how long it's been going on, and to spot the threshold where you call the vet. You know your dog: that's your best tool.
These signs aren't your fault
You've done nothing wrong. If your dog seems under the weather, it's his body sending a signal, not a sign that you missed something. Dogs mask pain and tiredness by instinct: an animal that's "putting on a brave face" may already be feeling worse (WSAVA Global Pain Council). Your attention is precisely what protects him best.
Reading each sign, without panicking
Fever
- Normal temperature sits between 38 and 39 °C; we talk of fever from around 39.5 °C and above.
- A warm, dry nose tells you nothing reliable: plenty of perfectly healthy dogs have one too.
- What speaks is the whole picture: a listless dog who shivers, seeks out cool spots or turns away from his bowl. Taking the temperature is the vet's job to do and to interpret; you never force a dog who resists.
Coughing
- A dry, "honking" cough after contact with other dogs often points to kennel cough, usually harmless: it eases mostly over the first 5 days and lasts on the order of 10 to 20 days (Merck Veterinary Manual).
- At home: rest, humid air (the bathroom after a hot shower), no pressure on the throat, and keep him away from other dogs while he's coughing.
- A cough at night in a small older dog isn't "just age": it's worth checking.
Low energy
- A dog who sleeps more, plays less and suddenly "settles down" isn't being difficult: his body is conserving its efforts.
- "He isn't complaining" doesn't mean "he isn't in pain": dogs hide it by instinct, a legacy of their life in packs.
- Marked low energy, especially alongside another sign, is worth a call.
Loss of appetite
- Skipping a meal while staying lively and drinking is nothing serious in a healthy adult.
- A refusal to eat that goes beyond 48 hours, even with no other sign, warrants a call to the vet.
- In a puppy, a senior or a very small dog, you don't wait: the threshold drops to 12-24 hours, and a puppy should never fast (risk of hypoglycaemia).
Before you call: what you can note down
These few observations are worth their weight in gold for the vet on the phone. You spot and describe; they diagnose.
0 / 5Can it wait, or do I call now?
This can be watched calmly
- A healthy adult who skips a meal but drinks, plays and stays in good spirits.
- A single episode of vomiting or a passing soft stool, with no blood and no low energy.
- A slight cough with no breathing difficulty, in a dog who eats and moves normally.
- In that case: watch for a few hours, leave fresh water within reach, and call back if anything changes.
We call the vet
- A refusal to eat beyond 48 hours, or a refusal to drink beyond 24 hours.
- A fever that lasts, or signs that pile up (low energy + loss of appetite + coughing).
- A cough that goes beyond two weeks, gets worse, or hampers breathing.
- A puppy, an older dog or a very small one: when in doubt, we call, without waiting.
The signs that mean acting fast
The further down you go, the more urgent it is.
Keep a close eye
- Turns down a meal but stays lively and keeps drinking
- Occasional slight cough, dog still playing
- A bit under the weather for a single day
Call today
- Refusal to eat beyond 48 h, or to drink beyond 24 h
- Fever that lasts, marked low energy
- Cough that goes beyond two weeks or gets worse
- Several signs at once, or a puppy or a senior involved
Emergency, go now
- Blue, grey or very pale gums
- Difficult or very rapid breathing at rest
- Collapse, staggering gait, a seizure that won't stop
- A swollen, tight belly with efforts to vomit but nothing coming up
Blue or very pale gums, breathing that races at rest, collapse, a seizure that won't stop, or a swollen belly with retching that brings nothing up: don't wait, and a trip that turns out to be "for nothing" always beats a delay.
Do this right now
- Call the vet or the emergency clinic, and let them know you're on your way (calling en route saves minutes).
- Keep the dog calm and cool, without forcing him into a position: let him choose the one where he breathes most easily.
- Don't give him anything to eat or drink, and no medicine.
The assistant never replaces a vet. When in doubt, call.
- WSAVA Global Pain Council — Guidelines for the recognition, assessment and treatment of pain (2022)
- Keene et al. — ACVIM consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of myxomatous mitral valve disease in dogs, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (2019)
- Canine infectious respiratory disease complex (kennel cough), Merck Veterinary Manual
- Human medicines toxic to dogs (paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin), ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Canine Life Stage Guidelines: lower vigilance threshold in puppies and seniors, AAHA
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my dog has a fever?
A warm, dry nose isn't a reliable marker: plenty of healthy dogs have one. Look instead at the whole picture: listless, shivering, turning away from his bowl or seeking out cool spots. Normal temperature sits between 38 and 39 °C, but it's the vet who takes it and interprets it, and you never force a dog who resists.
How do I bring down a dog's fever?
Above all, no human medicine: paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin are toxic to dogs. Keep him calm and cool, with water within reach, and call the vet. A fever that lasts or comes with other signs deserves a consultation: it's the vet who decides on any treatment.
Why has my dog stopped eating?
A dog might turn down a meal over an upset, the heat or a little tiredness, then bounce right back. But a lost appetite is also one of the first signs of a health problem. The real question isn't "why" but "how long, and with what other signs": low energy, vomiting or belly pain change everything.
How long can a dog go without eating?
A healthy adult who drinks and stays lively can go a day or two without eating and come to no harm. Beyond 48 hours, we call the vet, even if he seems normal otherwise. In a puppy, a senior or a very small dog, the threshold drops to 12-24 hours, and a puppy should never fast (risk of hypoglycaemia).
How long can a dog go without drinking?
This isn't a length of time to "hold out": fresh water should be available at all times. A dog shouldn't go more than 24 hours without drinking; beyond that, he dehydrates quickly and needs to be seen. You never force water with a syringe against his resistance (risk of it going down the wrong way, into the lungs).
Why is my dog coughing?
A dry, "honking" cough after crossing paths with other dogs often points to kennel cough, usually harmless (it lasts on the order of 10 to 20 days). But a cough at night in a small older dog, a cough that hampers breathing or one that goes beyond two weeks deserves an examination. In the meantime: rest, humid air and no pressure on the throat.
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