Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Axillary temperature is less stressful than rectal in hospitalised
By Girod, M et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2016·Department of Small Animal Clinical Science·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Axillary temperature measurement: a less stressful alternative for hospitalised cats?
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that measuring temperature in hospitalized cats using a method called axillary temperature measurement (ATM) is less stressful than the traditional rectal temperature measurement (RTM). While ATM is easier on the cats and causes less anxiety, it may not always provide accurate readings, missing cases of low or high temperatures in some cats. The research showed that RTM was more accurate, although it did raise the cats' heart rates and stress levels slightly more than ATM. Therefore, while ATM can be a gentler option, RTM is still recommended for precise temperature readings in cats.
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Abstract
Rectal temperature measurement (RTM) can promote stress and defensive behaviour in hospitalised cats. The aim of this study was to assess if axillary temperature measurement (ATM) could be a reliable and less stressful alternative for these animals. In this prospective study, paired rectal and axillary temperatures were measured in 42 cats, either by a veterinarian or a student. To assess the impact of these procedures on the cat's stress state, their heart rate was checked and a cat stress score (CSS) was defined and graded from 1 (relaxed) to 5 (terrified). A moderate correlation was found between RTM and ATM (r=0.52; P<0.0001). RTM was on average 0.9 °C (1.6 °F) higher than ATM (P<0.0001), although a wide variation was found in the difference between these two measurements (-2.1 °C to 3.6 °C (-3.8 °F to 6.5 °F)). ATM failed to identify hypothermia in 25 per cent of the cases and hyperthermia in 19 per cent of the cases but may be considered less stressful than RTM. Indeed, RTM induced a mildly greater increase in heart rate (+6 bpm; P=0.01) and in CSS (+0.2; P=0.001) than ATM. The results were not affected by operator type. In conclusion, RTM should remain the standard method to obtain accurate temperatures in cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26829966/