Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Are ear thermometers accurate for measuring dog body temperature
By Sousa, Marlos G et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2011·The Federal University of Tocantins State, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison between auricular and standard rectal thermometers for the measurement of body temperature in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study involving 88 healthy dogs compared two methods of measuring body temperature: using an ear thermometer and a rectal thermometer. While both methods showed similar average temperatures, the results indicated that they are not interchangeable due to significant differences in accuracy. This means that if your dog needs a temperature check, it's best to stick with the traditional rectal method for reliable results.
People also search for: dog temperature measurement methods · ear thermometer for dogs · rectal thermometer accuracy in dogs
Abstract
Although the rectal mucosa remains the traditional site for measuring body temperature in dogs, an increasing number of clinicians have been using auricular temperature to estimate core body temperature. In this study, 88 mature healthy dogs had body temperatures measured with auricular and rectal thermometers. The mean temperature and confidence intervals were similar for each method, but Bland-Altman plots showed high biases and limits of agreement unacceptable for clinical purposes. The results indicate that auricular and rectal temperatures should not be interpreted interchangeably.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21731094/