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Tierarztl Prax Ausg K Kleintiere Heimtiere 2014; 42(01): 13-19
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1623741
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH

Comparison of auricular and rectal temperature measurement in normothermic, hypothermic, and hyperthermic dogs

Vergleich zwischen aurikularer und rektaler Temperaturmessung bei normothermen, hypothermen und hyperthermen Hunden
U. Konietschke
1   Small Animal Clinic Haar, Haar, Germany
,
B. D. Kruse
1   Small Animal Clinic Haar, Haar, Germany
,
R. Müller
2   Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
,
C. Stockhaus
1   Small Animal Clinic Haar, Haar, Germany
,
K. Hartmann
2   Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
,
A. Wehner
2   Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 13 January 2013

Accepted after revision: 07 May 2013

Publication Date:
07 January 2018 (online)

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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.

Zusammenfassung

Gegenstand und Ziel: Die rektale Temperaturmessung stellt die häufigste Methode zur Bestimmung der Körpertemperatur bei Hunden dar und gilt als Goldstandard. Bisher gibt es keine Studien, welche die Korrelation zwischen rektaler und aurikularer Messung bei einer großen Fallzahl untersuchten. Ziel dieser Studie war, die Übereinstimmung zwischen rektaler und aurikularer Temperaturmessung bei normo-, hypound hyperthermen Hunden unter Berücksichtigung verschiedener Umgebungsbedingungen und der Ohrkonformation zu evaluieren. Material und Methoden: Für beide Methoden wurden anhand von 62 gesunden Hunden Referenzwerte erstellt. In die prospektive Studie gingen insgesamt 300 Hunde (220 normotherm, 32 hypotherm, 48 hypertherm) ein. Die beim Vergleich zwischen Rektalund Ohrtemperatur ermittelten Unterschiede wurden im Hinblick auf Umgebungstemperatur, relative Luftfeuchte und Ohrkonformation (Hängeversus Stehohren) mittels des Korrelationskoeffizienten nach Pearson und der Bland-Altman-Analyse evaluiert. Ergebnisse: Die Korrelation zwischen rektaler und aurikularer Messung war signifikant (r: 0,892; p < 0,01). Dennoch zeigte sich in den Bland-Altman-Plots eine inakzeptable Streuung der Messwertdifferenzen (Streuung: 0,300 °C; Übereinstimmungsgrenzen: –0,606 bis 1,206 °C). Diese Streuung lag über einem klinisch maximal tolerierbaren Wert von 0,3 °C, der anhand von Expertenmeinungen (n = 16) ermittelt wurde. Die Luftfeuchte hatte einen signifikanten Einfluss (p = 0,001), die Umgebungs temperatur nicht. Schlussfolgerung: Die Unterschiede zwischen rektaler und aurikularer Temperaturmessung waren klinisch nicht akzeptabel. Klinische Relevanz: Obwohl die Messung der Ohrtemperatur bei Hunden eine schnelle, einfache und gut tolerierte Methode darstellt, liefert sie unter klinischen Aspekten eine inakzeptable Differenz gegenüber der rektalen Temperaturmessung.

Key words

Infrared ear thermometry - rectal thermometry - canine - correlation

Schlüsselwörter

Infrarote Ohr-Thermometrie - rektale Thermometrie - kanin - Korrelation
 

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