Reliability and accuracy of digital thermometers used by veterinary professionals to determine temperatures of animals

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy and reliability of thirty two different thermometers used to measure animal's rectal temperature. Thermometers are important in all medical fields, both human and veterinary alike. Accuracy and reliability of these tools are critical to determine the best treatment options for ill patients. A statistical analysis was run using SigmaPlot 12.5 to determine thermometer reliability while simple mean calculations measured accuracy. In total thirty-two thermometers were tested in three water baths set at 35°C, 38°C, and 40°C. These temperatures represent a hypothermic state, normal animal body temperature and a hyperthermic state respectively. Each thermometer was tested seven times per temperature and compared to a true temperature measured by a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) thermometer. There is a strong correlation between accuracy and reliability and all thermometers that were the most accurate were found to be the most reliable. A used Walgreens brand thermometer model VT801SWT was the most reliable and accurate overall. Results also show that new thermometers are more accurate than used ones with a few exceptions. A Reli-On two-second thermometer lot 4414 was the most unreliable with widely skewed results. Significant differences were not detected between human and animal thermometers. This experiment demonstrated that some thermometers are more reliable than others and that health care professionals should not trust thermometers that read temperatures in two seconds.