Fever and dizziness in older dog.

Dr. Marie replied:

These are odd symptoms. From what you have described, your dog has a mild fever, and pain in his ear and face, redness in his eyes and diarrhea. I really can't think of a specific condition that could cause this, but I can take a few guesses.

An insect sting could cause some of the symptoms. However, this should not come and go over the course of a week. An abscess somewhere in his head could cause this. One possibility is an abscess behind his eye. This is called a retrobulbar abscess. It can cause the red eyes (although really it would just be one eye), and the pain in his ear and jaw as well as the fever.

A good number of these symptoms alone would be reason enough for me to suggest an emergency visit. We do not normally see fevers in dogs. They are almost always a sign of some type of medical problem. And, the wobbliness has me quite concerned. That, combined with the fact that he is an older dog makes me even more inclined to say that he really should see a vet right away.

I'm sorry I don't have a more clear answer for you. I hope this is not something really serious like a tumor affecting his face and brain. There really isn't anything that I can suggest for you to do at home. He really does need to see a vet right away.

I hope he is ok.

Dr. Marie.

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