Too Hot to Handle, Too Cold to Hold: A Quick Tour of Thermoregulation
1.0 CE Credit Hour / Amber Hart, RVT, VTS(ECC)
Amber Hart, RVT, VTS(ECC)
Amber graduated from Morehead State University in Kentucky in 2001. She achieved her VTS(ECC) in 2014. Currently, she works for MedVet in Cincinnati Ohio as the Clinical Education Specialist. She has a personal interest in the subjects of CPR and Intensive Care Nursing as well as clinical skill development. She keeps the company of a small ark that includes snakes, lizards, guinea pigs, a parrot, and a goofy whippet. In her free time, she enjoys reading science fiction, practicing tai chi, making photo albums, and generally being a bit of a nerd.
Overview:
Maintaining the perfect patient temperature is critical—but extremes like hypothermia and hyperthermia can quickly become life-threatening. This session provides veterinary technicians with practical tools to assess, classify, and manage thermoregulatory challenges. Learn to interpret temperature readings, understand the physiological mechanisms at play, and respond effectively with evidence-based interventions. From patient assessment to laboratory values and supportive care strategies, this session equips you to keep every patient “just right.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the physiological mechanisms of thermoregulation and their effects on body systems.
- Assess patient temperature accurately and classify hypothermia or hyperthermia severity.
- Analyze clinical signs and laboratory values to determine thermoregulatory compromise.
- Implement evidence-based interventions to restore and maintain normal body temperature.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of thermoregulatory support measures and adjust patient care accordingly.
This course is RACE-approved for 1.0 continuing education credits hours in jurisdictions that accept RACE-approval.
