Take the dog's temperature with a standard rectal thermometer, lubricated with vaseline. After the thermometer is shaken down it is placed gently into the dog's rectum until only one inch remains visible.
Leave it there for one minute.
A normal temperature for a dog is between 100 and 102.5 degrees. If it is above that the dog has a fever, if it is below that the dog is hypothermic and needs to be kept warmer.
