Rectal temperatures before and after parturition in bottlenose dolphins

Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1999)18:23.3.CO;2-6 In five parturitions of four bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus gilli), rectal temperatures (Rts) were determined at least once a day during the late period of pregnancy. Four of the five pregnancies showed a drop in RT ranging from 0.7 to 1.3°C (an average decrease of 0.9°C) from 24 to 12 hr pre-partum. In […]