Comparison of tympanic, transponder, and noncontact infrared laser thermometry with rectal thermometry in strain 13 guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).

The purpose of this experiment was to assess the practicality, ease, and reliability of using tympanic, transponder, and noncontact infrared laser thermometry versus rectal thermometry in strain 13 guinea pigs. Body temperatures were measured by all four methods within each animal over 10 min, and three sets of measurements were taken over 2 days. Each method was compared for agreement over time and agreement with the rectal temperature of each animal. Over time the transponder temperatures were the most reliable and had the closest agreement with the rectal temperatures. There was an overall difference in mean temperatures among methods but not between times, indicating that the guinea pigs had stable body temperatures over different time periods. Although the mean temperatures from the transponder and tympanic thermometers were not significantly different from the rectal temperatures, only the transponder method was in close agreement with the rectal method. The tympanic and noncontact infrared laser methods had poor agreement with the rectal method. These study results suggest that transponder thermometry is an easy and accurate alternative to rectal thermometry in strain 13 guinea pigs.