Relationship between rectal temperature measured with a conventional thermometer and the temperature of several body regions measured by infrared thermography in fattening rabbits. Influence of different environmental factors

Abstract

In clinical examination of rabbits, the temperature is usually recorded with a digital thermometer introduced rectally, an invasive procedure that could cause handling stress. The aim of this study was to assess body temperature using infrared thermography (IRT) in four areas of the rabbit’s anatomy: eye (ETT), outer ear (OETT), inner ear (IETT) and nose (NTT), and then validate it as an alternative measure to rectal temperature (RT) assessed with a conventional thermometer. Temperature samples were taken twice a week from 48 weaned rabbits of Spanish Common Rabbit breed during a 38-d fattening period. The factors considered were: doe from which the rabbits came (8 does), weeks of fattening period (4 to 5 wk), batch (3 periods of the year: April-May, June-July and January-February) and group size (cages with 1 to 7 rabbits). On average, the results were an RT of 38.48±0.02 °C; ETT of 37.31±0.05 °C; OETT of 29.09±0.26°C; IETT of 30.53±0.251 °C, and NTT of 33.29±0.11 °C (mean±se). Moderate, statistically significant positive correlations (PP