The Use of Percutaneous Thermal Sensing Microchips to Measure Body Temperature in Horses during and after Exercise Using Three Different Cool-Down Methods.
Authors: Kang Hyungsuk, Zsoldos Rebeka R, Skinner Jazmine E, Gaughan John B, Mellor Vincent A, Sole-Guitart Albert
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Exertional heat illness remains a significant concern in equine practice, and accurate post-exercise temperature monitoring is essential for timely intervention; this 2022 study evaluated whether percutaneous thermal sensing microchips (PTSMs) could reliably track core body temperature during and after exercise, with particular focus on implantation site selection and the effects of different cooling protocols. Researchers implanted PTSMs in the right pectoral, gluteal and splenius muscles, plus the nuchal ligament of horses, then monitored temperature readings against central venous temperature during treadmill exercise and through three cool-down protocols: no water application, water application alone, and water plus scraping. Muscle-based readings demonstrated strong correlation with core temperature (r = 0.85–0.92) during the passive recovery phase without water intervention, whilst the nuchal ligament failed to provide reliable data; however, when active cooling with water was applied, all PTSM readings diverged significantly from core temperature, suggesting peripheral temperature becomes unreliable during cold-water therapy. The pectoral muscle emerged as the optimal implantation site, maintaining the most consistent relationship with core temperature for up to 50 minutes post-exercise without cooling intervention, offering practitioners a practical non-invasive monitoring tool—though the caveat that PTSM readings become unreliable once water-based cooling commences should inform clinical interpretation of temperature data during active heat management.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •PTSM technology offers a practical, non-invasive method for continuous body temperature monitoring during and after exercise in horses, with pectoral implantation being the optimal site
- •Monitor pectoral muscle temperature via PTSM for the most reliable assessment of core body temperature during the first 50 minutes post-exercise when no cooling interventions are applied
- •Be aware that water cooling methods compromise the accuracy of PTSM temperature readings, so timing of temperature assessment relative to cool-down procedures is clinically important
Key Findings
- •Percutaneous thermal sensing microchips (PTSM) implanted in pectoral, gluteal, and splenius muscles showed strong correlations with central venous temperature (r = 0.85-0.92) during exercise without intervention
- •Pectoral muscle PTSM readings maintained the most consistent relationship with core body temperature over 50 minutes post-exercise
- •Water application significantly weakened the relationship between PTSM readings and central venous temperature across all implantation sites
- •Nuchal ligament PTSM implantation showed poor correlation with core body temperature and is not recommended for temperature monitoring