Comparison of Axillary versus Rectal Temperature Timing in Canine and Feline Patients

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Numerous studies have tested the accuracy of thermometers in dogs and cats to find alternatives to rectal placement. These studies have not looked at the difference in restraint and pet handling time that may be involved in thermometer selection. Here we tested the time involved in approaching restraining and recording temperatures from 114 dog and 72 cat patients, both under the forelimb (axillary) and rectally, in a standardized clinical environment. We compared animal size, body shape, weight, age, breed, and coat type in both dogs and cats to identify possible contributing factors that may influence these results. The axillary method was significantly shorter than the rectal method in all breeds and groups tested except the Scottish Fold cat breed, which showed no difference. The shorter duration in axillary thermometry was due primarily to reductions in the approach and handling time seen in the axillary trials compared with the rectal trials. In the rectal trials, an increased duration was noted in cats with longer hair than in cats with shorter hair. No other factor tested (i.e., size, age, etc.) played a significant role in the results. This data suggests that one advantage of axillary thermometry over rectal thermometry may be a shorter pet handling and procedure time. ABSTRACT: Research on alternatives to rectal thermometry in canine and feline patients has focused on equipment and measurement location but not procedure duration. In a crossover clinical scenario, we evaluated the time prior to (Pre-TempT) and after (Post-TempT) rectal and axillary thermometry in a diverse demographic of canine (n = 114) and feline (n = 72) patients. Equipment duration was controlled to determine a presumptive total time (TTime) associated with each thermometry method. Pre-TempT and TTime were significantly shorter in axillary thermometry trials for both canine and feline pets (p < 0.001). There was no difference in Post-TempT between thermometry methods in canine patients (p = 0.887); however, the Post-TempT was longer in felines after axillary thermometry (p = 0.004). Reductions in Pre-TempT and TTime were not significant in Scottish Fold breed cats. Within the feline rectal trials, the TTime of domestic-long-haired breeds was significantly longer than that of domestic-short-haired breeds (p = 0.019). No other tested parameter (i.e., size, body shape, age, weight, breed, coat type, or procedure order) played a significant role in these results. Axillary thermometry was faster than rectal thermometry in both canine and feline pets, primarily due to the time associated with animal approach and restraint (Pre-TempT). These results have implications for optimizing clinic workflow, appointment durations, and patient handling time.