Q&A

Feeling the dog with your hand and judging by heat is wrong. Use a thermometer under the armpit; 39.2°C or above confirms fever, below that is just warmth. Treat with a canine fever-reducing medication or a vet's fever shot after diagnosis.

Don't jump to conclusions from a warm body—hand-feeling is unreliable. Use a thermometer under the armpit; 39.2°C or above means fever. A canine fever-reducing medication treats it, or a vet can give a fever shot after diagnosis.

Never give a dog human fever medicine—different ingredients can worsen the illness or trigger other problems. A canine fever-reducing medication is the usual choice, or take the dog to a clinic for a confirmed diagnosis and a fever-reducing injection.

Do not give a dog human cold granules. Human and canine cold medicines differ, and the wrong dose can cause side effects instead of helping. Use a dog-specific cold medicine once coughing, fever, sneezing, or nasal discharge confirm a cold.

The clearest sign is a rising body temperature—measure it with a thermometer placed under the dog's armpit for a few minutes. A reading above 39.2°C confirms fever, after which the dog may refuse food, drink more, or seek cool spots. A canine fever-reducing medication or a vet visit can follow.

Eye discharge with pus in a kitten is usually a bacterial eye infection or bacterial conjunctivitis, caused by contagion, overlong eyelashes, injury, or bacteria. Clean the eyes with a gentle saline solution, then apply a vet-recommended pet eye drop several times a day.

First check the stool for worms or blood; if none, diet is the likely cause—most often a food change or something indigestible, such as certain cat cans. Withholding food for a day or giving an anti-diarrheal usually resolves it.

A cat that loses interest in food may just be bored with its current kibble or still full from the last meal. Try switching foods or offering an active probiotic to settle the stomach and restore appetite; vitamin C can help too.

Sneezing can be a sign of respiratory infection or merely a physiological reaction, so it does not always mean illness. With accompanying nasal discharge the cat is likely sick and a cat cold medicine helps; recurring or feverish cases warrant a vet visit and, if needed, a fever-reducing medication after a clear diagnosis.

Cats do not normally have nasal discharge; when they do, illness is usually the cause. Yellow discharge often points to a cold, typically alongside sneezing, coughing, and fever. A cat-specific cold medicine is the usual treatment once a cold is confirmed.