2016 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

This study shows that thermometer protective sheaths can be used reliably to measure rectal temperature in dogs in a clinical setting. Therefore, it is strongly advised to use this hygienic protective measure in daily clinical practice because even in overweight dogs the differences between the two methods are clinically non significant. MicroRNAs have been identified as sensitive, non-invasive diagnostic markers for early detection of human malignancies. To date there have been very few studies of microRNA expression in the serum of domestic animals with no known analysis of the micro-RNA present in mature erythrocytes. Feline erythrocytes are known to be sensitive to oxidative damage and we are interested in their potential use as a model for the study of systemic oxidative stress. Identification of specific microRNA which are dysregulated under these conditions may be sensitive biomarkers of oxidative stress.