The agreement of rectal temperature with gingival, ocular and metacarpal pad temperatures in clinically healthy dogs

Summary Objective: Measurement of rectal temperature is the most common method and considered gold standard for obtaining body temperature in dogs. So far, no study has been performed comparing agreement between rectal and auricular measurements in a large case series. The purpose of the study was to assess agreement between rectal and auricular temperature measurement in normothermic, hypothermic, and hyperthermic dogs with consideration of different environmental conditions and ear conformations. Materials and methods: Reference values for both methods were established using 62 healthy dogs. Three hundred dogs with various diseases (220 normothermic, 32 hypothermic, 48 hyperthermic) were enrolled in this prospective study. Rectal temperature was compared to auricular temperature and differences in agreement with regard to environmental temperature, relative humidity, and different ear conformations (pendulous versus prick ears) were evaluated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman analysis. Results: Correlation between rectal and auricular temperature was significant (r: 0.892; p < 0.01). However, Bland-Altman plots showed an inacceptable variation of values (bias: 0.300 °C; limits of agreement: –0.606 to 1.206 °C). This variation was above a maximal clinical tolerance of 0.3 °C, which was established by experts’ opinion (n = 16). Relative humidity had a significant influence (p = 0.001), whereas environmental temperature did not. Conclusion: Variation between the two methods of measuring body temperature was clinically unacceptable. Clinical relevance: Although measurement of auricular temperature is fast, simple, and well tolerated, this method provides a clinically unacceptable difference to the rectal measurement.

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Effects of Intravenous Administration of Fat Emulsion on Formed Blood Elements and Body Temperature in Dogs

American Journal of Physiology-Legacy Content ◽

10.1152/ajplegacy.1956.187.1.107 ◽

1956 ◽

Vol 187 (1) ◽

pp. 107-112 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

H. C. Meng ◽

Hertha Cress ◽

John B. Youmans

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Olive Oil ◽

Intravenous Administration ◽

Rectal Temperature ◽

Fat Emulsion ◽

Oral Ingestion ◽

Oil Emulsion ◽

Heparin Administration ◽

Healthy Dogs ◽

Blood Elements

Intravenous administration of a 10% olive oil emulsion or lymph to healthy dogs anesthetized with Nembutal produced marked thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, neutropenia, eosinopenia, lymphopenia, increase in mechanical fragility of erythrocytes, and increase in hematocrit. The increase in mechanical fragility of erythrocytes correlated directly with the degree of lipemia. Heparin administration accelerated the removal of the injected fat from the circulation and hastened the return to normal of the formed blood elements. The changes in the formed blood elements were more marked and persisted longer in the dogs receiving piromen. The changes in the formed blood elements following oral ingestion of olive oil were either mild or insignificant except for the moderate eosinophilia. Elevation of rectal temperature and persistent lymphopenia were observed only in the animals receiving emulsion and piromen. It is concluded that the changes in formed blood elements, including the increase in mechanical fragility of erythrocytes following intravenous administration of fat emulsion, did not seem to correlate with the rise of body temperature.

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Estimates of Components of Variance of the Rectal Temperature in Clinically Healthy Dogs in a Hospital Environment

Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A ◽

10.1111/j.1439-0442.1994.tb00141.x ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 41 (1-10) ◽

pp. 717-721

Author(s):

A. L. Jensen ◽

J. Koch ◽

A. Wenck

Keyword(s):

Rectal Temperature ◽

Hospital Environment ◽

Components Of Variance ◽

Healthy Dogs

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Exercise on a vibratory platform increases blood perfusion on the stifle joint and rectal temperature in healthy dogs

Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia ◽

10.1590/1678-4162-10959 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 72 (2) ◽

pp. 305-311

Author(s):

J.A. Villanova Junior ◽

G. Dipp ◽

B.M. Viveiros ◽

J.L. Balardini ◽

L.J.E. Isaka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rectal Temperature ◽

Blood Perfusion ◽

Complementary Therapy ◽

Peripheral Vascular ◽

Exercise Protocol ◽

Vibration Intensity ◽

Stifle Joint ◽

Long Duration ◽

Higher Temperature ◽

Healthy Dogs

ABSTRACT The effects of two vibration platform (VP) exercise protocols on stifle and rectal temperatures were evaluated. Eleven animals participated in two exercise protocols, different in duration in each exercise. Exercise protocol 1 (EP1) took 30 seconds and EP2, 60 seconds, with different vibratory levels in both cases (L1 = acceleration ≅ 1g, L4 = acceleration ≅ 2.5g, and L7 = acceleration ≅ 5g). The animals were evaluated before and 1 minute after the exercise, using infrared thermography to obtain stifle temperatures. The rectal temperature (RT) was also checked at each moment. The dogs had higher stifle temperatures in EP1 at all vibratory levels compared to the time before the exercise; EP2 resulted in higher temperature only at maximum vibration intensity (L7). Increase in TR was observed only in EP2. The results suggested that the short duration protocol (EP1) increased the muscular and peripheral vascular activities of the joint, regardless of the vibration intensity. The long duration protocol (EP2) with maximum vibration intensity increased the RT, demonstrating activity beyond the stifle muscle group. It is concluded that exercises on the VP can be used as complementary therapy for low-impact muscle activity in dogs and may be adequate for efficient energy consumption.

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Agreement of Axillary and Auricular Temperature with Rectal Temperature in Systemically Healthy Dogs Undergoing Surgery

Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association ◽

10.5326/jaaha-ms-6500 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 53 (6) ◽

pp. 291-296 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Brandy Cichocki ◽

Danielle Dugat ◽

Mark Payton

Keyword(s):

Rectal Temperature ◽

Gold Standard ◽

Human Medicine ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Limits Of Agreement ◽

Positive Linear Relationship ◽

Bivariate Correlation ◽

Poor Predictor ◽

Healthy Dogs ◽

Alternative Techniques

ABSTRACT Obtaining a patient’s temperature is an important part of a patient’s physical examination. As human medicine transitions to noninvasive temperature measurements, so does veterinary medicine. Historically, temperature measurement has been obtained from rectal readings; however, alternative methods, such as axillary and auricular temperatures, are increasing in popularity. The purpose of the study was to compare these alternative techniques to the gold standard of rectal temperature. Temperatures were obtained three ways for each patient: rectal, axillary, and auricular. Results indicated a positive linear relationship between rectal and axillary temperatures (bivariate correlation coefficient [r] = 0.65, P < .001) and axillary and auricular temperatures (r = 0.55, P < .001). Agreement was strongest between rectal and auricular temperatures (r = 0.80, P < .001). The average discrepancy between axillary and rectal temperature was 1.2°C [2.1°F] with the highest difference being 4.0°C [7.3°F]. The average discrepancy between auricular and rectal temperature was 0.6°C [1.2°F] with the highest difference being 2.2°C [4.1°F]. Despite auricular temperatures having stronger agreement, Bland-Altman Limits of Agreement testing revealed that it was a poor predictor of rectal temperature. Based on these results, axillary and auricular temperatures should not be substituted for rectal temperature.

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Effects of a whole-body spandex garment on rectal temperature and oxygen consumption in healthy dogs

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association ◽

10.2460/javma.2004.224.71 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 224 (1) ◽

pp. 71-74

Author(s):

S. Brent Reimer ◽

Kurt S. Schulz ◽

David R. Mason ◽

James H. Jones

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Consumption ◽

Rectal Temperature ◽

Whole Body ◽

Healthy Dogs

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Electroneurography of the ulnar nerve in dogs

Acta Veterinaria Brno ◽

10.2754/avb201483040405 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 83 (4) ◽

pp. 405-409 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ivo Hájek ◽

Pavel Schánilec ◽

Ivana Uhríková ◽

Martin Pyszko ◽

Jaroslav Dufek

Keyword(s):

Action Potential ◽

Ulnar Nerve ◽

Conduction Velocity ◽

Rectal Temperature ◽

Action Potentials ◽

Limb Length ◽

Muscle Action ◽

Velocity Measurements ◽

Healthy Dogs ◽

Stimulating Electrodes

Electroneurography as one of the electrodiagnostic techniques is used to measure the speed of action potential which is propagated down the nerve after stimulation. It gives information about normal functioning of the peripheral nerves. The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of a new electroneurographic technique by performing motor nerve conduction velocity measurements in the ulnar nerve with surface stimulating electrodes in healthy dogs, to correlate the obtained data by age, limb length, rectal temperature, and sex; and to compare these results with published findings utilizing needle stimulating electrodes. The study was performed in 24 clinically healthy dogs without anaesthesia. Rectal temperatures and limb lengths were measured in all individuals. There were significant correlations among several indicators (age, rectal temperature, limb length, conduction velocity, latency and duration of compound muscle action potentials). Limb length was found to have a significant effect on the duration of the compound muscle action potential from both stimulation sites (proximal/distal; r = 0.71, r = 0.68, P < 0.01), but there was no effect on the conduction velocity or amplitude of the action potentials. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the measured indicators between males and females, even though females had a higher mean conduction velocity than males. These results prove that conduction velocity measurements in dogs could be performed non-invasively, without a danger of infection or haematomas or complications with anaesthesia, which is more favourable and time-saving for clinical practice, and more comfortable for patients.

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