Body temperature measurement in anesthetized dogs – comparison of nasal, axillary, rectal and esophageal temperature

Abstract

Objective To evaluate different methods of monitoring body temperature in anesthetized dogs with comparison to core temperature obtained via esophageal probe.

Methods Client-owned dogs undergoing general anesthesia for various procedures were included in this observational study. The temperature was taken sequentially every 10 minutes from the rectum, axilla, and nasal cavity with a digital thermistor thermometer, and compared to esophageal core temperature via paired t-tests. Differences from the gold standard esophageal temperature were assessed via Bland-Altman plots and further evaluated for factors like time under anesthesia and presence of Hypo-/Normo- or Hyperthermia. In addition, it was analyzed whether a correction factor for peripheral measurement sites (nasal cavity and axilla) would be applicable in a reliable representation of the body temperature. The level of significance in all tests was set at p<0.05.

Results In this study, 95 simultaneous temperature measurements at the 4 different sites were obtained from 30 dogs. Mean difference and limits of agreement from esophageal temperature for the different measurement methods were 0.0±0.72°C for rectal temperature, −1.2±1.42°C for axillary and −1.0±2.02°C for nasal temperature. Axillary and nasal temperatures were not significantly different (p=0.5721 and p=0.9287, respectively) from esophageal temperature with a +1.2°C and +1°C correction factor, respectively.

Conclusion and Clinical relevance During perioperative temperature measurement in anesthetized patients, rectal and esophageal measurements can be used interchangeable. However, if these are not available, the use of axillary or nasal sites is only reliable after applying a correction factor.

Zusammenfassung

Gegenstand und Ziel Die Untersuchung verschiedener Methoden zur Messung der Körpertemperatur in Hunden in Allgemeinanästhesie sowie deren Vergleich zur gemessenen Körperkerntemperatur im Ösophagus.

Material und Methoden In dieser Beobachtungsstudie werden Patienten (Hunde) unter Allgemeinanästhesie betrachtet. Im Rahmen der intraoperativen Narkoseüberwachung erfolgte die Temperaturmessung alle 10 Minuten gleichzeitig an verschiedenen Lokalisationen: Rektal, Achselhöhle und Nasenhöhle (mittels digitalem Thermistor-Thermometer). Die jeweiligen Messungen wurden mittels einem gepaarten t-Test mit der Körperkerntemperatur verglichen, welche mittels einer Thermistor-Temperatursonde im Ösophagus ermittelt wurde. Abweichungen vom Goldstandard (Ösophagustemperatur) wurden mit Bland-Altmann-Plots dargestellt und zusätzlich auf Faktoren wie Narkosezeit und Hypo-/Normo- oder Hyperthermie untersucht. Für die peripheren Temperaturmessungen Achsel- und Nasenhöhlen wurde gleichzeitig ermittelt, inwiefern ein Korrekturfaktor zuverlässig die Körpertemperatur widerspiegeln würde. Ein p-Wert<0,05 wurde als statistisch signifikant bewertet.

Ergebnisse Im Rahmen dieser Studie konnten 95 simultan ermittelte Temperaturmesswerte an 4 verschiedenen Messlokalisationen eingeschlossen werden. Insgesamt wurden dafür 30 Hunde in Narkose untersucht. Die Abweichung (und „limits of agreement“) der verschiedenen Messlokalisationen von der Ösophagustemperatur waren: 0,0±0,72°C (Rektal), −1,2±1,42°C (Achselhöhle) und −1,0±2,02°C (Nase). Die ermittelten Temperaturen der Achselhöhle und Nase unterschieden sich nach Anwendung eines Korrektionsfaktor von +1,2°C und +1°C nicht mehr signifikant von der Ösophagustemperatur (p=0,5721 und p=0,9287).

Schlussfolgerung und klinische Relevanz Die perioperative Temperaturmessung an narkotisierten Hunden kann zuverlässig mittels rektaler Messung oder Messung im Ösophagus erfolgen. Beide Methoden sind vergleichbar. Sind diese Lokalisationen nicht zugängig, könnten Achselhöhle und Nase nur nach Anwendung eines Temperatur-Korrekturfaktors genutzt werden.

Key words

Canine - anesthesia - monitoring - hypothermia

Schlüsselwörter

Hund - Anästhesie - Überwachung - Hypothermie

Publication History

Received: 31 January 2023

Accepted: 08 March 2023

Article published online:
11 August 2023

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