Body Temperature in Dogs
Normal body temperature
fluctuation in dogs and cats is typically less than 4 degrees F over a
24 hour period.
- Fever is generally thought to be a protective and helpful response to infection.
- Temperatures that are measured in the ear canal tend to be very accurate because the ear canal is so close to the brain.
- Animals that have a rise in temperature above 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.2 degrees Celsius) generally do not survive due to coagulation of body proteins.
Remember that body temperature
is only one physiologic measure and by itself is seldom diagnostic. However,
in the context of other observations, body temperature information is very
useful.
See the chart below for the normal body temperatures of some common companion animals.
|
Dogs
|
102 degree F
|
38.9 degree C
|
|
Cats
|
101.5 degree F
|
38.6 degree C
|
