Metal cages used in veterinary hospitals may increase heat loss in animals due to the inherent thermal conductivity of the metal, which may exacerbate discomfort caused by the cool surface of the floor. This study aimed to investigate whether the use of polyethylene mats in veterinary metal cages could provide a thermal retention effect. In the experiment, metal cages were laid out with either pet sheets alone, towels and pet sheets, or polyethylene mats and pet sheets. A hot pack, representing a patient animal, was placed on each type of flooring. The surface temperatures of the hot pack and pet sheets were measured using infrared thermography. The surface temperatures of the hot packs in the cages using polyethylene mats were substantially higher at 5 min and up to 120 min later than in the cages with pet sheets only. Surface temperatures of the hot packs at each measurement point in the cages with polyethylene mats or towels were not statistically different. Under the conditions of this experiment, the polyethylene mats and the towels reduced heat loss from the hot pack.
