In the absence of other symptoms, the nose is a sensitive barometer of the nasal sweat gland activity, and a dry nose can indicate that a puppy is not in an active sweating phase.

Dogs have sweat glands only on their nose and footpads, so the cooling system of dogs also requires panting to help dissipate excess internal heat. If a puppy is sweating, its nose will feel cold and wet. If you feel its pads, they will often be damp, and they may even leave "footprints" on a floor! If a puppy is not sweating, its nose will feel dry and sometimes a bit warm. This is normal. Sweating can be associated with overheating, but can also be triggered by activity and stressful events. Similar to the "sweaty palms" phenomenon in humans, we can sometimes see a pretty solid set of footprints left behind on the examination table at a veterinary clinic!

If a dog is truly running a fever, there will be other signs such as lethargy and reduced appetite. Body core temperature elevations often lead to significant panting, lying down with the legs spread out, and an elevated heart rate. An ear or rectal thermometer can quickly confirm the presence of an elevated body temperature. A puppy will often have very warm ears during fevers since the blood vessels in the ears are dilated (vasodilation) as another effective cooling pathway. Feet can also feel warmer than normal due to the same mechanism. In short-coated, light-haired dogs, the ears may even have a reddish appearance because of the vasodilation.

If a puppy is experiencing any other abnormal body system signs such as a nasal discharge, sneezing or coughing, this could indicate that another process is setting in, so a visit to a veterinarian is in order.

To monitor the temperature of your dog, check with the local veterinary clinic about selection of suitable thermometers and the best techniques.

Reprinted with permission from www.animalhealthcare.ca