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Home / Equine Research Bank / Front Vet Sci / Performance of a non-contact veterinary infrared thermometer...
Frontiers in veterinary science2025; 12; 1583839; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1583839

Performance of a non-contact veterinary infrared thermometer and reference intervals of equine temperature at different body sites.

Abstract: Evaluating the body temperature of horses () is essential for monitoring their health. Rectal thermometry is the most common method for determining the temperatures of adult horses and foals. However, this method requires restraining the animals for several seconds, and it poses potential risks to both horses and humans. This study compared infrared and rectal thermometry in 126 horses, evaluating age and measurement site influences on body temperature. Horses were divided into three groups: foals (4-12 months), Shetland ponies (8-12 months), and adult horses (2-30 years). Rectal, ocular, gingival, and perineal temperatures were recorded to assess the potential of non-invasive infrared methods. Reference intervals of temperature at different body sites are provided. No significant differences were found in gingival and perineal temperatures among groups. Foals showed significantly higher rectal temperatures than adults ( < 0.001), likely due to age. Shetland ponies showed higher ocular temperatures than foals and adult horses ( < 0.05, < 0.001), probably because they were influenced by ambient temperature, which significantly correlated with ocular readings. Significant positive correlations existed between ocular and rectal ( < 0.01) and perineal and rectal temperatures ( < 0.0001). Bias was -0.2°C (ocular vs. rectal) and 2°C (perineal vs. rectal). Perineal temperature, despite numerical differences, correlated well with rectal temperature, allowing indirect estimation with a correction factor, and was unaffected by ambient temperature. This suggests infrared perineal temperature may be a viable rectal thermometry alternative for estimating equine body temperature, enhancing animal welfare through non-invasive methods.
Copyright © 2025 Alberghina, Tombolani and Quintavalla.
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Publication Date: 2025-04-17 PubMed ID: 40313632PubMed Central: PMC12043634DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1583839Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a non-contact infrared thermometer in measuring body temperature of horses as a safer alternative to traditional rectal thermometry. Based on the findings, the study suggests that infrared perineal temperature measurement could serve as an accurate and non-invasive alternative for equine body temperature estimation.

Objective and Methodology

  • The primary goal of this research was to compare the performance of a non-contact veterinary infrared thermometer and traditional rectal thermometry in horses, and to establish the influence of age and measurement sites on body temperature.
  • The study involved three groups of horses: foals aged 4-12 months, Shetland ponies aged 8-12 months, and adult horses aged 2 to 30 years.
  • Temperatures were recorded from four different body sites: rectal, ocular, gingival, and perineal. This was done to examine the feasibility of infrared temperature measurement as a safer, non-invasive alternative to rectal measurement.

Key Findings

  • There was no significant difference found in the gingival and perineal temperatures among the different groups of horses.
  • Foals had significantly higher rectal temperatures than adults, which could be attributable to age.
  • Shetland ponies exhibited higher ocular temperatures than foals and adult horses. This was likely influenced by the ambient temperature, which correlated significantly with ocular readings.
  • Considerable positive correlations were discovered between ocular and rectal temperatures, and between perineal and rectal temperatures.
  • The bias (difference between two methods, in this case, infrared and rectal thermometry) was -0.2°C for ocular vs. rectal and 2°C for perineal vs. rectal.

Conclusions

  • Despite numerical differences, the perineal temperature showed a good correlation with the rectal temperature and wasn’t affected by ambient temperature.
  • By applying a correction factor, the infrared perineal temperature can provide an indirect estimation of the rectal temperature in horses.
  • This study suggests that non-invasive infrared temperature measurement, particularly perineal temperature, could be an effective alternative to rectal thermometry for assessing equine body temperature.
  • Adopting this alternative method can help enhance animal welfare by minimizing the physical stress caused by traditional rectal thermometry, and reducing risks to both horses and humans.

Cite This Article

APA
Alberghina D, Tombolani C, Quintavalla F. (2025). Performance of a non-contact veterinary infrared thermometer and reference intervals of equine temperature at different body sites. Front Vet Sci, 12, 1583839. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1583839

Publication

Frontiers in veterinary science
ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Pages: 1583839
PII: 1583839

Researcher Affiliations

Alberghina, Daniela
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Tombolani, Carlotta
  • Independent Veterinary Practitioner, Verona, Italy.
Quintavalla, Fausto
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Tombolani C, Alberghina D, Gioè M, Quintavalla F. Comparison of Digital Rectal Thermometry and a Non-Contact Veterinary Infrared Thermometer in Cats: Identifying Alternative Sites to Rectal Measurement. Vet Sci 2025 Jun 25;12(7).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci12070618pubmed: 40711278google scholar: lookup
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