Usefulness of infrared thermometry in determining body temperature in mice

The rectal temperature obtained using a standard electronic thermometer was compared with ear, back skin, tail skin, and sole skin temperatures obtained using an infrared thermometer in B6C3F1 mice. Using both methods, we investigated baseline temperatures, diurnal and 2-week variations in temperatures, and ethanol-induced hypothermia in these body locations. Ear and back temperatures were shown to be close to and consistent with rectal temperatures in various situations, and measured temperatures at these sites were almost constant, with very similar diurnal variation. Conversely, tail and sole temperatures were lower and much more variable. These results indicate that ear and back skin temperatures obtained using a convenient and non-invasive infrared thermometer are as reliable, and should be safer and less stressful to animal subjects, compared to standard rectal temperature measurements.