Infrared Thermographic Imaging as a Tool to Assess Inflammatory and Ischemic Response With Rubber Ring Tail Docking in Suffolk and Hampshire Lambs (Ovis Aries)

Tail docking in lambs is associated with an acute inflammatory and ischemic response correlated to pain. The present study sought to quantify these responses by utilizing infrared thermographic imaging (IRT) after tail docking lambs. Images were taken for each lamb before tail docking (T0), within a minute after the band was placed (T1), at 5 minutes (T5), and 15 minutes (T15) respectively and analyzed for pixel intensity in areas on the lamb's rump, tail base, and two locations below the docking band. The pixel intensity at 2 cm below the docking band did significantly decrease (p < 0.05) over the course of the study at 15 minutes, indicating the presence of ischemia, and a significant decrease in the pixel intensity of the rump and tail base was observed. The closest location to the rubber ring showed the presence of inflammation as an indirect indicator of acute pain . IRT is a valuable tool in the detection of inflammation and ischemic areas and has the potential to be used to quantify and measure the experience of inflammation and pain after tail docking.