My Dogs Head Feels Hot: When Should I Worry? Get Answers.

Okay, so yesterday was kinda weird. My dog, Buster, a golden retriever goofball, felt…hot. Not like "oh, he's been sunbathing" hot, but like... feverish hot, specifically on his head. I panicked a little, I ain't gonna lie.

First thing I did? Obvious, right? Grabbed my phone and started Googling "why does my dog's head feel hot." Tons of stuff popped up, mostly about fevers, infections, and heatstroke. Great, now I'm really freaked out.

I checked his temperature. Thankfully, it was normal. Digital thermometer up the butt (sorry, Buster!), read 101.5°F. Normal range is like 100.5°F to 102.5°F, so phew, not a fever. But still, his head felt noticeably warmer than the rest of him.

So, I started thinking... What was different yesterday? What did he do? He'd been outside playing fetch for a good hour in the afternoon. It wasn't crazy hot, maybe 75°F, but he was definitely running around like a maniac.

That's when it hit me. Hydration! I hadn't refilled his water bowl in a while. Duh! Stupid oversight on my part.

I immediately gave him a big bowl of fresh, cool water. He gulped it down like he hadn't seen water in a week. And you know what? After about 30 minutes, I felt his head again, and it was back to normal. Well, normal Buster warmth, anyway.

So, what did I learn? Always, ALWAYS keep the dog's water bowl full, especially after playtime. Dehydration can manifest in weird ways, and a hot head apparently can be one of them. I'm making it a point to check it every time I see him. No matter what.

Here's the breakdown of what I did:

• Panicked. (Let's be honest, that's always step one).
• Googled symptoms. (Don't trust Dr. Google completely, but it's a starting point).
• Checked temperature. (Essential to rule out fever).
• Thought about recent activities. (What changed?).
• Realized I was a terrible dog owner and he was dehydrated. (Corrected the problem).
• Observed and confirmed improvement. (Relief!).

So, yeah, that's my story. Pretty simple in the end, but it definitely gave me a scare. Keep your pups hydrated, folks! They rely on us to do the right thing.

The most important takeaway is: Always consider the obvious first. Sometimes, it's not some rare disease, just plain old dehydration. I felt so stupid after that, you can bet I felt the same for the next few hours after I gave him the water.