The Use of Percutaneous Thermal Sensing Microchips for Body Temperature Measurements in Horses Prior to, during and after Treadmill Exercise.
Authors: Kang Hyungsuk, Zsoldos Rebeka R, Woldeyohannes Solomon M, Gaughan John B, Sole Guitart Albert
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Percutaneous thermal sensing microchips (PTSM) offer equine professionals a reliable method for non-invasive core temperature monitoring, which is particularly valuable for detecting exertional heat illness in performance horses. Researchers implanted microchips into four anatomical sites—the nuchal ligament, splenius, gluteal, and pectoral muscles—and compared their temperature readings against central venous temperature (the gold standard) across three exercise phases: baseline, during treadmill exercise, and immediate recovery. All muscle sites demonstrated strong positive correlations with core temperature (ranging from 0.82 to 0.94, p < 0.001), with notably narrow limits of agreement suggesting PTSM measurements are essentially equivalent to invasive core temperature assessment. The pectoral site proved most reliable for practical application, offering practitioners a validated, non-invasive alternative to traditional rectal thermometry for real-time thermal monitoring during and after strenuous work. For farriers, vets, and coaches involved in high-performance or endurance settings, PTSM technology could significantly improve early detection of heat stress and post-exercise complications, enabling more timely intervention and reducing welfare risks.
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Practical Takeaways
- •PTSM offers a noninvasive, rapid, and accurate alternative to invasive central venous monitoring for tracking horse body temperature during and after exercise
- •Pectoral implant placement is recommended as the optimal location for clinical monitoring of exertional heat stress in performance horses
- •This technology could improve early detection and management of postrace heat illness by enabling continuous, accurate temperature monitoring in field conditions
Key Findings
- •Percutaneous thermal sensing microchips (PTSM) demonstrated strong positive correlations (0.82–0.94, p < 0.001) with central venous temperature across all exercise phases
- •PTSM had narrow limits of agreement with central venous temperature, indicating essential equivalence for measuring core body temperature
- •Pectoral muscle PTSM placement provided the most valid and reliable estimation of core body temperature in horses