Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals
Abstract Background Monitoring body temperature is essential in veterinary care as minor variations may indicate dysfunction. Rectal temperature is widely used as a proxy for body temperature, but measuring it requires special equipment, training or restraining, and it potentially stresses animals....
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ftbiomed:oai:biomedcentral.com:s13104-015-1383-6 2023-05-15T15:41:47+02:00 Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals Melero, Mar Rodríguez-Prieto, Víctor Rubio-García, Ana García-Párraga, Daniel Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José 2015-09-04 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/8/411 en eng BioMed Central Ltd. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/8/411 Copyright 2015 Melero et al. Thermography Thermal pattern Blowhole temperature Eye temperature Cetaceans Pinnipeds Short Report 2015 ftbiomed 2015-09-06T00:05:15Z Abstract Background Monitoring body temperature is essential in veterinary care as minor variations may indicate dysfunction. Rectal temperature is widely used as a proxy for body temperature, but measuring it requires special equipment, training or restraining, and it potentially stresses animals. Infrared thermography is an alternative that reduces handling stress, is safer for technicians and works well for untrained animals. This study analysed thermal reference points in five marine mammal species: bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ); beluga whale ( Delphinapterus leucas ); Patagonian sea lion ( Otaria flavescens ); harbour seal ( Phoca vitulina ); and Pacific walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens ). Results The thermogram analysis revealed that the internal blowhole mucosa temperature is the most reliable indicator of body temperature in cetaceans. The temperatures taken during voluntary breathing with a camera held perpendicularly were practically identical to the rectal temperature in bottlenose dolphins and were only 1 °C lower than the rectal temperature in beluga whales. In pinnipeds, eye temperature appears the best parameter for temperature control. In these animals, the average times required for temperatures to stabilise after hauling out, and the average steady-state temperature values, differed according to species: Patagonian sea lions, 10 min, 31.13 °C; harbour seals, 10 min, 32.27 °C; Pacific walruses, 5 min, 29.93 °C. Conclusions The best thermographic and most stable reference points for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals are open blowhole in cetaceans and eyes in pinnipeds. Other/Unknown Material Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* Delphinapterus leucas harbour seal Odobenus rosmarus Phoca vitulina walrus* BioMed Central Pacific |
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language |
English |
topic |
Thermography Thermal pattern Blowhole temperature Eye temperature Cetaceans Pinnipeds |
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Thermography Thermal pattern Blowhole temperature Eye temperature Cetaceans Pinnipeds Melero, Mar Rodríguez-Prieto, Víctor Rubio-García, Ana García-Párraga, Daniel Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals |
topic_facet |
Thermography Thermal pattern Blowhole temperature Eye temperature Cetaceans Pinnipeds |
description |
Abstract Background Monitoring body temperature is essential in veterinary care as minor variations may indicate dysfunction. Rectal temperature is widely used as a proxy for body temperature, but measuring it requires special equipment, training or restraining, and it potentially stresses animals. Infrared thermography is an alternative that reduces handling stress, is safer for technicians and works well for untrained animals. This study analysed thermal reference points in five marine mammal species: bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ); beluga whale ( Delphinapterus leucas ); Patagonian sea lion ( Otaria flavescens ); harbour seal ( Phoca vitulina ); and Pacific walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens ). Results The thermogram analysis revealed that the internal blowhole mucosa temperature is the most reliable indicator of body temperature in cetaceans. The temperatures taken during voluntary breathing with a camera held perpendicularly were practically identical to the rectal temperature in bottlenose dolphins and were only 1 °C lower than the rectal temperature in beluga whales. In pinnipeds, eye temperature appears the best parameter for temperature control. In these animals, the average times required for temperatures to stabilise after hauling out, and the average steady-state temperature values, differed according to species: Patagonian sea lions, 10 min, 31.13 °C; harbour seals, 10 min, 32.27 °C; Pacific walruses, 5 min, 29.93 °C. Conclusions The best thermographic and most stable reference points for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals are open blowhole in cetaceans and eyes in pinnipeds. |
format |
Other/Unknown Material |
author |
Melero, Mar Rodríguez-Prieto, Víctor Rubio-García, Ana García-Párraga, Daniel Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José |
author_facet |
Melero, Mar Rodríguez-Prieto, Víctor Rubio-García, Ana García-Párraga, Daniel Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José |
author_sort |
Melero, Mar |
title |
Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals |
title_short |
Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals |
title_full |
Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals |
title_fullStr |
Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals |
title_full_unstemmed |
Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals |
title_sort |
thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals |
publisher |
BioMed Central Ltd. |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/8/411 |
geographic |
Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Pacific |
genre |
Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* Delphinapterus leucas harbour seal Odobenus rosmarus Phoca vitulina walrus* |
genre_facet |
Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* Delphinapterus leucas harbour seal Odobenus rosmarus Phoca vitulina walrus* |
op_relation |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/8/411 |
op_rights |
Copyright 2015 Melero et al. |
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1766374672925982720 |