Efficacy of Warm-Water Treatment Against Hypothermia in Dogs Undergoing Dental Surgery under General Anesthesia

Abstract

In veterinary dentistry, patients undergoing oral surgery often experience hypothermia during anesthesia. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether warm-water treatment could prevent hypothermia during anesthesia in dogs with periodontal disease. Twenty-three dogs with moderate or severe periodontal disease were included in the study. The dogs were treated with warm water (T=33.9℃; n=12) or cold water (T=24.4℃; n=11) under general anesthesia. The study end point was when the rectal temperature reached 36.9℃, after which rewarming was started. No significant difference (p=2.08) was observed in the rate of decrease in temperature between the warm-water and cold-water groups. However, the rate of increase in temperature after rewarming was higher in the warm-water group than in the cold-water group (p=0.0037).