617999 research-article2015
JFM0010.1177/1098612X15617999Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
Letter to the Editor Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 2016, Vol. 18(2) 182 © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1098612X15617999 jfms.com
Accuracy of tympanic membrane assessment
Dear Editors, I would thank Smith et al for their contribution to feline medicine with their article ‘Comparison of axillary, tympanic membrane and rectal temperature measurement in cats’.1 Assessing body temperature is a simple metric, yet little work has been carried out in cats. Their study found that tympanic measurement temperature (TMT) was less reliable than rectal or axillary temperature assessment. The article makes no mention of whether the right or the left ear was used for assessment of TMT. Mazzotti and Boere found that the temperature in the right ear was significantly higher in stressed cats compared with non-stressed cats.2 They found that the right ear temperature measured 0.34ºF (0.19ºC) higher than the left ear in cats with elevated cortisol levels. I think this past published work should have been addressed in the current study. Additionally, with cats, it could be argued that a right-handed operator might more accurately angle the infrared thermometer to face the cat’s left tympanic, and vice versa. Steven Bailey ECats, 6650 Highland Road, Waterford, Michigan 48327, USA The corresponding author responds: We would like to thank Dr Bailey for his interest and comments on our article ‘Comparison of axillary, tympanic membrane and rectal temperature measurement in cats’. Dr Bailey raised the concern that there was no mention of whether the right or left ear was used for assessment of tympanic membrane temperature (TMT). In our materials and methods we state that the choice of left or right TM, in addition to the order in which these readings were taken, was randomised. The number of readings collected from left and right ears was not stated in
the manuscript; however, we can report that 65/150 (43%) of TMT readings were from the left ear and 85/150 (57%) were from the right ear. The study by Mazzotti and Boere,2 showed that the mean right-sided TMT was 0.37°C higher than the mean left-sided TMT in cats with elevated cortisol levels (P
JFM0010.1177/1098612X15617999Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
Letter to the Editor Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 2016, Vol. 18(2) 182 © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1098612X15617999 jfms.com
Accuracy of tympanic membrane assessment
Dear Editors, I would thank Smith et al for their contribution to feline medicine with their article ‘Comparison of axillary, tympanic membrane and rectal temperature measurement in cats’.1 Assessing body temperature is a simple metric, yet little work has been carried out in cats. Their study found that tympanic measurement temperature (TMT) was less reliable than rectal or axillary temperature assessment. The article makes no mention of whether the right or the left ear was used for assessment of TMT. Mazzotti and Boere found that the temperature in the right ear was significantly higher in stressed cats compared with non-stressed cats.2 They found that the right ear temperature measured 0.34ºF (0.19ºC) higher than the left ear in cats with elevated cortisol levels. I think this past published work should have been addressed in the current study. Additionally, with cats, it could be argued that a right-handed operator might more accurately angle the infrared thermometer to face the cat’s left tympanic, and vice versa. Steven Bailey ECats, 6650 Highland Road, Waterford, Michigan 48327, USA The corresponding author responds: We would like to thank Dr Bailey for his interest and comments on our article ‘Comparison of axillary, tympanic membrane and rectal temperature measurement in cats’. Dr Bailey raised the concern that there was no mention of whether the right or left ear was used for assessment of tympanic membrane temperature (TMT). In our materials and methods we state that the choice of left or right TM, in addition to the order in which these readings were taken, was randomised. The number of readings collected from left and right ears was not stated in
the manuscript; however, we can report that 65/150 (43%) of TMT readings were from the left ear and 85/150 (57%) were from the right ear. The study by Mazzotti and Boere,2 showed that the mean right-sided TMT was 0.37°C higher than the mean left-sided TMT in cats with elevated cortisol levels (P
