Hyperthermia

The incidence of postoperative hyperthermia has rarely been studied in veterinary medicine. A careful history and physical examination should be performed if hyperthermia is detected to try to identify hyperthermic patients that would require immediate attention and further work-up. This chapter discusses both infectious and noninfectious hyperthermia. A respiratory tract infection is a bacterial infection of the respiratory tract, mostly the lungs. Treatment consists of the administration of antibiotics, which are usually empirically chosen, or adapted to the antibiogram of the BAL fluid. Severely stressed and agitated animals may increase their heat production, resulting in hyperthermia. Diagnosis is based on visual evaluation of the patient and exclusion of other causes for postoperative hyperthermia. Seizures and eclampsia caused by hypocalcemia result in extreme muscular activity, which can cause hyperthermia. Definitive treatment requires the underlying cause to be addressed.