Fever in Cerritos, CA

For most pet fevers – those caused by mild infections, inflammation, vaccine reactions, or stress – urgent care is the right venue, not the ER. Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital for very high temperatures (above 106°F), heatstroke, or fevers paired with seizures, collapse, or severe lethargy.

Normal pet temperature is higher than humans – 99.5–102.5°F is normal for dogs and cats. A fever starts above 103°F and is considered serious above 104°F. Most fevers in pets resolve quickly once the cause is identified and treated. Urgent care can run bloodwork, do a thorough exam to find the infection source, give fluids and anti-inflammatories, and start the right antibiotics – the same diagnostics and medications as the ER, with the clinic, wait, and cost all structured around your pet’s case.

Bring your pet to urgent care if:

• Fever between 103–105°F with otherwise stable behavior
• Lethargy, loss of appetite, or shivering paired with a warm pet
• Recent vaccination, surgery, or known illness with mild fever
• Cough, sneeze, eye discharge, or other infection signs paired with fever
• Fever after a wound, abscess, or possible infection
• It’s after-hours and your regular vet is closed or fully booked

Go straight to an ER instead if your pet has:

• Temperature above 106°F (41.1°C)
• Recent heat exposure with panting, drooling, weakness, or red/dark gums (heatstroke)
• Seizures or unconsciousness paired with fever
• Severe lethargy, collapse, or unresponsiveness
• Bleeding from gums or nose, or in stool or urine, paired with fever
• Difficulty breathing paired with fever
• Suspected toxin ingestion paired with fever

Bring your pet in if a fever has lasted more than 24 hours, is over 104°F, or comes with other concerning symptoms like lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, or visible pain.

Don’t wait if you notice:

• A fever above 104°F
• Fever lasting more than 24 hours
• Fever paired with lethargy, refusal to eat, or hiding
• Shivering or trembling that doesn’t have a clear cause
• Recent injury, abscess, or wound with developing warmth or fever
• Vomiting, diarrhea, or visible pain alongside fever
• Any fever in a puppy, kitten, senior pet, or immunocompromised pet

Fever in pets is a non-specific symptom – it tells us something’s wrong but not what. Causes range from a mild infection (treated easily) to serious systemic disease (needs immediate attention). The longer a fever goes undiagnosed, the longer the underlying cause has to progress. If you suspect a fever, the right move is to take a rectal temperature with a digital thermometer and call us with the number.

The only reliable way to take a pet’s temperature is rectally with a digital thermometer. Ear and forehead thermometers don’t work reliably on pets – their anatomy is different from humans, and readings are often dramatically off.

It sounds intimidating, but rectal temperature-taking in pets is a 30-second process if you’re prepared. Many pets tolerate it well, especially with a helper, a treat, and lots of praise.

How to do it:

• Use a digital thermometer – a pet thermometer is ideal, but a basic digital one from any drugstore works
• Apply a small amount of water-based lubricant (KY Jelly, petroleum jelly, or a dab of olive oil) to the tip
• Have a helper gently restrain your pet by the chest, with their tail toward you
• Lift the tail and insert the thermometer about 1 inch for cats and small dogs, 1.5–2 inches for medium and large dogs
• Hold in place until the thermometer beeps – usually 10–30 seconds
• Read the number, then clean the thermometer with rubbing alcohol – and label it “pet only” so it doesn’t end up back in the human bathroom drawer
• Don’t use a glass thermometer (they can break and lodge), an ear or forehead thermometer (unreliable on pets, regardless of the marketing), or try to take a temperature orally – the only place that gives accurate readings in pets is rectal.

If your pet won’t tolerate it, don’t force it. Behavior signs – lethargy, shivering, hiding, warm ears, refusal to eat, decreased water intake – tell us plenty about whether your pet is unwell. Call us, describe what you’re seeing, and we’ll take an accurate temperature shortly after you arrive.

The most common causes are infections (bacterial, viral, or fungal), inflammation from injuries or abscesses, immune-mediated disease, certain cancers, recent vaccination, and toxin or drug reactions.

Fever is the body’s response to something wrong – usually an infection, but sometimes an immune system that’s overreacting, a tumor releasing inflammatory signals, or a reaction to a medication. Treatment depends on figuring out which.

Common causes we see:

• Bacterial infections – wounds, abscesses, urinary tract, dental, respiratory, or internal
• Viral infections – distemper, parvovirus, feline leukemia, and others
• Tick-borne diseases – Lyme, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Immune-mediated disease – the immune system attacking the body’s own tissues
• Abscesses – from bite wounds, especially in outdoor cats
• Cancer – some tumors release substances that cause persistent fever
• Vaccine reactions – short-lived, mild fever within 24–48 hours of vaccines
• Toxin or drug reactions – including medication-related fever
• Stress-induced hyperthermia – temporary elevation from anxiety or excitement (not true fever)

A pet’s normal temperature is 99.5–102.5°F. Above 103°F is considered a fever; above 104°F deserves prompt evaluation; above 106°F is a life-threatening emergency that needs the ER.

Pet body temperatures run higher than human temperatures, which often causes pet parents to misread a normal pet temperature as a fever. Use a digital rectal thermometer for accuracy – ear and forehead thermometers don’t work reliably on pets. The fever scale for pets:

• 99.5–102.5°F – normal range for adult dogs and cats
• 102.6–103°F – borderline, monitor closely
• 103.1–104°F – a clear fever; time to call us
• 104.1–106°F – high fever, come in promptly
• Above 106°F – life-threatening, go to a 24-hour ER immediately

Heatstroke is a separate category from fever – it’s the body’s inability to cool itself after heat exposure, and it can push temperatures above 106°F within minutes. If your pet has been exposed to heat (a hot car, hot pavement, intense exercise) and is panting heavily, drooling, weak, or collapsed, get to an ER right away – minutes matter.

We start with a hands-on exam, take a rectal temperature, and run targeted tests based on what we find – most fevers are diagnosed in a single visit.

Diagnosing a fever is about working out where the infection or inflammation is hiding. A thorough exam often points us toward the right tests.

Depending on what we find, we may recommend:

• Bloodwork – checks for infection, inflammation, and organ function
• Urinalysis – to identify or rule out a UTI
• Chest or abdominal X-rays – for hidden pneumonia or abdominal abscesses
• Tick-borne disease testing – when exposure is possible
• Wound and skin exam – looking for bite wounds, abscesses, or hidden injuries
• Lymph node palpation – sometimes the lymph nodes hold the clue
• Specialized testing – for immune-mediated disease, cancer, or specific infections

Before we run anything, we’ll show you the proposed plan and the cost. You decide what to approve.

Most pets go home the same evening with antibiotics if bacterial infection is found, fluids for hydration, anti-inflammatories or fever reducers, and a clear care plan – only severe systemic illness, very high temperatures, or organ involvement need an ER referral.

Common treatments include:

• Antibiotics – for confirmed or suspected bacterial infections
• Fluid therapy – IV or subcutaneous to support hydration and circulation
• Anti-inflammatories – to reduce inflammation and bring the temperature down safely
• Wound or abscess care – opening, cleaning, and draining if needed
• Antiviral or antifungal medication – for specific viral or fungal infections
• Pain management – for fevers from inflammation or injury
• Tick-borne disease treatment – when those infections are identified
• Referral to a 24-hour hospital or specialist – for severe systemic illness, suspected sepsis, or immune-mediated disease

Keep your pet calm, offer water, and bring them in promptly – but don’t try to cool a feverish pet aggressively or give human fever medications.

Safe home steps before your visit:

• Take a rectal temperature with a digital thermometer if you can do so safely
• Offer fresh water but don’t force-feed liquids
• Keep your pet in a cool, quiet, calm spot
• Apply a slightly damp, cool (not cold) cloth to paws or belly if your pet tolerates it
• Note when symptoms started and any other changes (appetite, energy, wounds, recent exposures)

Don’t give human fever medications. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is fatal to cats and dangerous for dogs; ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and aspirin can cause stomach ulcers, kidney damage, or worse in both species. Don’t try to cool a heatstroke pet with ice baths – sudden temperature drops can cause shock. And don’t dismiss a “mild” fever in a puppy, kitten, senior pet, or immunocompromised pet – their reserves are smaller, and they can decline quickly.

We see your pet the same evening, run bloodwork and exam diagnostics in-clinic, and start treatment that night – the right place for the right problem, with clinic, wait, and cost structured around your pet’s case.

What that looks like in practice:

• Walk in or “Save My Spot” online to join our waitlist
• Full exam, temperature check, bloodwork, and imaging done in-clinic
• Treatment plan and pricing reviewed with you before anything starts
• Stay with your pet through exam and treatment if you want to
• Same-evening relief for most cases – go home with the medication and a clear plan