Comparison of an infrared ear thermometer to rectal thermometers in cats

Temperature measurement is one of the most commonly performed veterinary procedures. A study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between temperature measurements obtained by glass-mercury and infrared ear thermometers in cats. Tympanic membrane thermometry using infrared technology offers a noninvasive, extremely rapid temperature measurement tool which may be useful in feline medicine. Fifty cats at an accredited member hospital of the American Animal Hospital Association were enrolled in a blinded study comparing the accuracy and acceptability of infrared ear thermometers to glass-mercury rectal thermometers. Statistical analysis established a solid correlation between temperatures taken from the ear and those taken from the rectum (r = 0.995, p < 0.001). Owners and technicians were impressed by the 2-second speed of the new technique as well as the ease, cleanliness, and safety of the infrared ear thermometers. While these data indicate a strong correspondence of ear temperatures with rectal temperatures, owners continued to question the accuracy of the infrared ear thermometers. Further client education may be necessary to alleviate minor concerns about the accuracy of infrared ear temperature measurements in cats.