Temperature taking in a more pleasant way (Pet-Temp Instant Ear Thermometer)

Member Name: Tracy_1127

Product:	Pet-Temp Instant Ear Thermometer
Date:	24/07/09 (128 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: see review

Disadvantages: see review

After reading the review here on Dooyoo by Fourpaws I decided a Pet Temp ear thermometer was an item I definitely needed to buy. I once asked at my vets if they had ear thermometers and they said no and they still don't which is a shame when this one is available. However, as my boys (cats) are getting older and sometimes have days where they feel a bit under the weather I needed to be able to check their temperatures myself.

As everyone knows the other option is a rectal thermometer and I'm really not a fan of those. I don't know why my vets surgery still use that method when it's so much more distressing for the animal than an ear thermometer and I would never be able to bring myself to use one at home!

So having read the review and finding out these ear thermometers were £50 from www.canineconcepts.co.uk I decided to have a quick look on ebay to see if any of the shops on there had any. I found a few from America which were about the same price and then found one from a German ebay shop that was £25 including p&p so I ordered it immediately.

The Pet Temp ear thermometer comes in a hard plastic case as above in the picture and the actual thermometer itself is the object you can see up there. It's a block you hold in your hand with a digital display on it and the arm folds down for storage and is opened up for use. The end of the thermometer is a cone shape that you put the lens cover on and insert into the ear.

Along with the thermometer comes a plastic box to store it in and a box of 20 disposable lens covers. I don't think I'll get through many lens covers, so far I've only used this on one of my lads and I've left the same lens cover on throughout because there's no risk of cross contamination but if I use it on my other lad I would change it. Obviously if you have lots of animals or use it in a sugery setting you would need a new lens cover each time. On canine concepts you can buy replacement lense covers for £8.99 for 40 so it's not too expensive.

The thermometer itself comes with a built in lithium battery. This battery is supposed to last 5 years and once it's run out needs to be replaced by the manufacturer and has to be sent away for this. This is the only aspect I don't like about the Pet Temp, I'd much rather be able to change the battery myself.

So to use the thermometer you basically rotate the arm up so it's in the position shown in the picture, put a lens cover on by placing the box of them under a circular section of the carrying case and pushing the probe into the box so you don't touch the fresh cover. This is all explained in the instructions that come with the Pet Temp if my explanation doesn't make sense! They advise you put the wrist strap around your wrist to prevent you dropping the Pet Temp, then press the button. There is only one button so it's not possible to get confused!

On the screen after you've pressed the button it shows battery power, initially a test image of some digits, a lens cover shape to remind you to put one on and then it goes to the last temperature taken by the thermometer. At this point it will then go to "ready" and the word ready flashes onto the screen. This is where you need to have your animal ready for action and someone holding them still preferably!

The probe goes into the ear canal of your dog or cat as far as it will go, it won't go very far because the probe is too thick so you can't put it in too far but obviously gently is the operative word here! My lad flattens his ear down when I try to insert this and the book tells you to pull the ear towards the tail but personally I just lift it slightly with my fingers and slide past it so it doesn't upset him, well would you like your ear pulled?!

Then you push the button again and the thermometer beeps to signal it's done. It has to be taken out before 3 seconds or you can get a faulty reading so this is very quick. My boy doesn't much like the beep, it startles him a bit to be truthful but there does need to be some way of alerting you that it's done so it can't be helped.

So then you read the temperature. They advise you initally take a reading 3 days in a row when they are fit and well so you can establish what is normal for your animal. Also wait for 30 to 60 minutes after exercise or after they have been sunbathing to prevent a faulty, and alarming, reading. There are some possible errors which I won't list but the booklet contains all of them and what you will see on the screen should these happen and what to do about them.

The lens itself needs to be kept clean and to do this you just wipe it with alcohol and wait ten minutes afterwards before using it. Your pets ears need to be clean but they should be anyway right! Also if there are signs of an ear infection the probe is not a good idea which again is commonsense but needs saying! It is also small enough to use on rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs and chinchillas as well as cats and dogs! This means even the tiniest cat or dog would be fine with the Pet Temp.

I won't go into explaining infrared because I don't understand it but that's how this works and it doesn't emit any signal or radiation.

That's the product but how easy is it to use? I have to say it is very simple once you've used it once. The booklet makes it sound more complicated than it is and really it's a case of put on a lens cover, pop in the ear and press the button and that's it! I've only used it on cats so I can't comment on the other animals it can be used for but it was fine. My boy didn't like having something in his ear but then cats don't and it's better than the alternative but they don't understand that!

He didn't fuss much though as it's so quick, just one second after you press the button the beep happens to tell you it's taken the reading. The beep isn't nice for cats but it's only a short one and not too loud. I get my partner to cuddle him while I do it so he stays still.

As for reliability I was concerned this wouldn't give a correct reading but one of my lads recently had to go to the vets and I took his temperature before he went using the Pet Temp and then asked for their reading when they'd taken it and they matched so it obviously does read the temperature as accurately as the traditional method.

Overall I'm really glad I bought this, it's easy to use and accurate and if I'm ever in doubt about their temperature I can quickly and easily take it myself which is something I've always wanted to be able to do witout having to go to the vets for it. It goes without saying but I'll say it anyway that if you find a high or low temperature a vet visit is required and also be gentle with the Pet Temp, it goes in easily and should never be pushed hard or forced. I honestly think anyone who has a pet should have one of these in their first aid items so you can tell what's happening with their temperature, people with kids always have a thermometer in for these occasions so it's no different for your animal babies.

The only thing I don't like is the battery being built in but I'm not deducting a star as this is such a great product to have.

Thoroughly recommended.

Summary: Can't recommend it highly enough