A horse’s body temperature can indicate everything from an internal ailment (such as colic) to an infectious disease to hypothermia. Or it can simply confirm that a horse is healthy and ready for action. While most owners and veterinarians step to the posterior of the horse to determine temperature using a thermometer, researchers from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Colorado State University are exploring infrared thermography as a viable option for determining temperature.

This noninvasive method could also give authorities an advantage in quickly detecting fever among a group of horses during a time of concern over an infectious disease outbreak, allowing them to intervene promptly and prevent spread of infection.

IRT Image

IRT images of equine eyes are a new method of detecting a horse’s body temperature

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