Diagnostic Series: Digital Thermography

What is Digital Thermography?
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Digital thermography uses infrared thermal imaging to provide a non-invasive physiological body scan that can help evaluate your pet’s circulation, neurological and musculoskeletal function. It is another valuable tool for canine rehabilitation professionals to help guide our evaluation. It can also be used to determine progress or effectiveness of treatments. ​

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How does it work? All objects radiate energy, a thermal imaging camera measures radiated energy from a target tissue. Different levels of this energy are displayed as different gradient colors based on temperature change; this is called a thermogram. All gradients should be symmetrical, and if not, this is an area that needs further evaluation. In general, hot colors like red and white are indicative of inflammation and cold colors like black or blue are found in areas of decreased circulation. Hot colors are typically found in areas of acute injury, post-surgery, or in muscles used in compensatory movement patterns due to an increased in physiologic activity. Cold colors are typically found in conditions like arthritis intervertebral disc disease, or neurologic conditions where there is less physiologic activity occurring due to decreased circulation or nerve activity.

Is it safe? Digital thermography provides us a physiologic road map of your pet’s body and is a safe noninvasive and non-harmful, as it does not use radiation. The process simply involves using a thermal imaging camera to take a picture of your dog. This makes it a good option for dogs with severe anxiety or those who are fearful. The pictures are then analyzed by the digital imaging system and displayed on a computer as a thermogram. Your rehabilitation therapist will then interpret the images to better guide the physical evaluation and treatment plan. This method can also be used to determine effectiveness of a treatments and progress throughout the plan of care by repeating the images at subsequent visits or pre and post treatment. Professional digital thermography cameras can detect changes of less than 0.5 degrees Celsius which if 40 times more sensitive than the human hand. This allows us to detect changes earlier on, before your pet shows any outward signs of dysfunction, perfect for preventative and wellness visits. 

Oklahoma K9 PT
Dr. Courtney White, DPT, CCMFT, CCRT