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Comparison of oesophageal, rectal and tympanic membrane temperature in anaesthetised client-owned cats

02 April 2015
Research
10 mins read
02 April 2015
Volume 6 · Issue 3

Abstract

Objectives:

To determine the agreement between a veterinary-specific tympanic membrane thermometer and measurement of core oesophageal and rectal temperature in client-owned anaesthetised cats.

Methods:

A prospective study was performed using 20 cats that were scheduled to undergo general anaesthesia. For each cat, five consecutive temperature recordings were taken from an oesophageal temperature probe (OT), rectal thermometer (RT) and a veterinary-specific tympanic membrane thermometer (TT) prior to surgery. The temperatures were compared using Bland-Altman analysis.

Results:

Mean differences for the TT compared with OT and RT were -0.86°C (SD = 0.62°C, 95% CI [-2.39°C, 0.67°C]) and -0.93°C (SD = 0.57°C, 95% CI [-2.27, 0.44]) respectively; both greater than the accepted maximal clinical tolerance of 0.20°C. The mean difference for the RT compared with the OT was 0.06°C (SD = 0.28°C, 95% CI [-0.56, 0.67]).

Clinical significance:

The TT does not accurately represent core body temperature in cats under general anaesthesia and should not be used interchangeably with oesophageal thermometers. Rectal temperatures can be used to reliably approximate core temperature in anaesthetised cats.

Measurement of body temperature is an important diagnostic and monitoring tool in veterinary medicine but when compared with human medicine there are limited methods available. In human medicine tympanic membrane thermometry has become popular (Haugan et al, 2013). The technique provides an accurate estimation of core body temperature as the tympanic membrane shares a blood supply with the brain via the carotid artery (Bock et al, 2005).

There has been recent interest in the use of tympanic membrane thermometers in both dogs and cats (Sousa et al, 2011; Sousa et al, 2013). Veterinary-specific tympanic membrane thermometers have been designed and marketed to practices. Studies on the accuracy and effectiveness of tympanic membrane thermometry in both the dog (Southward et al, 2006; Greer et al, 2007; Sousa et al, 2011; Lamb and McBrearty, 2013) and cat (Kunkle et al, 2004; Sousa et al, 2013) in experimental settings (Kunkle et al, 2004; Southward et al, 2006; Greer et al, 2007; Sousa et al, 2011; Sousa et al, 2013) have been published with variable results.

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tympanic
rectal
oesophageal
thermometer
feline