Abstract
Objective To compare infrared thermometry with rectal thermometry as a method of assessing core body temperature in dogs and to assess the effect of otitis externa on external ear canal temperature (EECT). Design Prospective study. Animals 650 dogs without history or clinical signs of otitis externa and 85 dogs with recurrent or chronic otitis externa. Procedure Rectal temperature was measured, using a mercury thermometer. External ear canal temperature was measured, using an infrared tympanic thermometer. Results Measurements of body temperature at the 2 sites did not agree. Sensitivity and specificity of infrared thermometry in detecting fever, as determined by rectal thermometry, were 69.7 and 84.6%, respectively. Use of methods to predict rectal temperature from EECT did not improve the accuracy of infrared thermometry. Otitis externa significantly influenced EECT. Clinical Implications Use of infrared thermometry as a replacement for rectal thermometry in assessing core body temperature in dogs was unsatisfactory. The 2 methods for measuring body temperature were not interchangeable in dogs. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1998;213:76-79)
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