Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Wrapping small dogs' legs helps prevent low body temperature
By Kudo, Ayano et al.Ā·Published in Veterinary anaesthesia and analgesiaĀ·2024Ā·School of Veterinary Medicine, JapanĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Peripheral warming for prevention of hypothermia in small dogs during soft tissue surgery: A randomized controlled trial.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that small dogs weighing less than 15 kg can experience less hypothermia during surgery when their legs are wrapped in table leg covers. In this trial, dogs that had their limbs covered maintained a higher body temperature during anesthesia compared to those that did not. Specifically, only 19 out of 30 dogs in the limb-wrapping group became hypothermic, while 28 out of 30 dogs in the control group did. This simple and cost-effective method could help keep small dogs warmer and more comfortable during soft tissue surgeries.
People also search for: small dog surgery hypothermia prevention Ā· dog anesthesia temperature management Ā· soft tissue surgery for small dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of wrapping the extremities of small dogs with table leg covers to prevent hypothermia during anesthesia. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized parallel-group study. ANIMALS: A total of 60 adult dogs with a body mass <15 kg anesthetized for soft tissue surgery. METHODS: Dogs were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The control group received routine intraoperative thermal support, while the limb-wrapping group had their peripheral limbs covered with table leg covers up to the mid-metacarpal/metatarsal region, in addition to routine thermal support. Rectal temperature during anesthesia was recorded and compared between the two groups. Data analyses were performed using Student's t-test for rectal temperature, Fisher's exact test for hypothermia incidence and analysis of covariance for the effect of limb-wrapping while taking other factors into account. RESULTS: Thirty dogs were included per group. Rectal temperature did not differ between the groups at the time of intubation, but it was significantly higher in the limb-wrapping group (36.7 ± 1.0 °C) than in the control group (35.9 ± 0.8 °C) at the end of surgery (p = 0.003). The mean difference was 0.81 °C (95% confidence interval of mean difference 0.33-1.29 °C). The incidence of hypothermia (<37.0 °C) was significantly lower in the limb-wrapping group than in the control group (19/30 versus 28/30 dogs, respectively; p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: For dogs with body masses <15 kg, limb-wrapping with table leg covers slowed the reduction in intraoperative rectal temperature. Limb-wrapping is inexpensive and easy to perform, making it a practical method for minimizing hypothermia during anesthesia in small dogs undergoing soft tissue surgery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Peripheral warming with table leg covers has the potential to reduce hypothermia during soft tissue surgery in small dogs.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39368921/