Ion Hollingsworth, age 11, of Charlotte, N.C., for his question:

WHAT IS A DOG'S NORMAL TEMPERATURE?

The normal human temperature, as we know, is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. However, normal body temperature differs throughout the animal world  and compared with most of the warm-blooded creatures we tend to be rather coolish characters. A dog's normal temperature is around 100 degrees and there is no need to worry if it is 101 or 102 degrees.

Since normal temperatures vary from species to species, we expect to find differences among the dog's wild relatives. For example, a normal body temperature for the common wolf is around 103 degrees Fahrenheit, while for little cousin fox normal is about 101 degrees.