title: Comparison of heating devices for maintaining body temperature in anesthetized laboratory rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of various external heating devices in maintaining body temperature in anesthetized rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Rabbits were divided into 3 groups and placed on either no heating device, a circulating warm-water blanket, or a forced-air warming device. The animals underwent identical surgical procedures unrelated to the scope of the study, and body temperatures were monitored at 5-min intervals for a 45-min period. Results showed that rabbits had a statistically significant loss of body temperature during the procedure when no heating device was used, no significant loss in body temperature with the use of the forced air-warming device, and a minor increase in body temperature with the use of the circulating warm-water blanket. This study shows that external heating devices are necessary for maintenance of normal body temperature in rabbits under general anesthesia, and forced-air warming devices and circulating warm-water blankets are effective heating devices.
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. psikoski@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sikoski
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lockard
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007756:Laboratory Animal Science / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D011817:Rabbits / Q000601:surgery*