General Treatment For A High Fever
4.5 GENERAL TREATMENT FOR A HIGH FEVER
When an animal has a high fever or is overheating, it is should be treated immediately. Otherwise, the fever may rise too high and kill the animal or cause it to abort.
Thoroughly examine the animal and try to determine the cause of the high temperature. Then treat the animal for the specific cause, if possible.
| To bring the temperature down, pour cool water over the animal. | Pouring cool water over the animal can help to cool down an overheated animal. |
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| Keep the animal in the shade. | |
| Offer the animal cool water to drink. Encourage it to drink by putting the water near its mouth or pouring some water into its mouth. In some cultures, people believe that a drink of water will kill an animal with a fever. This is not true! |
A sow (mother pig) often cannot regulate her temperature during farrowing (giving birth) and may overheat in hot weather. In this case, pour cool water over her. If this does not work, give her an ice-water enema. It may save her life. Pass a smooth-ended tube gently into the sow's rectum and pour ice water down the tube. If ice water is not available, use the coldest water you can find, for example from a spring or deep well.
The following drugs may also reduce a high temperature:
ASPIRIN: If you can find aspirin for animals, use it according to the instructions. If not, use aspirin for people. Crush the pills, mix the powder with water and put this mixture down the animal's throat. For ruminants or horses, a syringe without the needle works well to squirt the mixture into the back of the animal's mouth. Or put the aspirin-water mixture in a narrow-necked bottle, put the opening of the bottle into the corner of the animal’s mouth (in the space where there are no teeth), raise the animal's head and tip the bottle to deliver the medicine. Don't try this with pigs because they will probably bite the syringe, bottle or you. Do not use aspirin for cats since it will poison them. Information on dosage is listed in the back of the book.
DYPYRONE 50%: This is sometimes also called “Novin.” It can be injected IV, IM or subcutaneous. Give 1 ml / 50 kg bodyweight every eight hours until the fever is gone.
FLUNIXIN MEGLUMINE: A brand name for this is Banamine. It can be administered IV or IM. Give 1 ml / 50 kg once daily until the fever is down. It is also available in oral paste and powder. This drug is expensive but very effective.