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Systematic pain assessment in horses.
J C de Grauw1, J P A M van Loon1
1Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Veterinary Journal (London, England : 1997)
|February 3, 2016
Summary
Accurate equine pain assessment is crucial for effective pain management. This review details various horse pain scales and their clinical application for objective monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Welfare
- Equine Science
Background:
- Accurate pain recognition in horses is essential for optimal pain management.
- Systematic pain assessment tools for objective monitoring of equine patients have significantly advanced.
- Several pain scales exist, but their clinical implementation requires understanding their strengths and weaknesses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review parameters for detecting pain in horses.
- To provide an overview of developed equine pain scales.
- To highlight the strengths and weaknesses of these tools for clinical use.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of existing literature.
- Description of pain detection parameters in horses.
- Overview and critique of various pain scales (VAS, SDS, NRS, TBA, CPS, grimace scales).
Main Results:
- Various pain assessment tools have been developed, including visual analogue scales, simple descriptive scales, numerical rating scales, time budget analysis, composite pain scales, and grimace scales.
- The literature on the application of these tools in specific equine pain states (e.g., laminitis, colic) is discussed.
- Challenges in sensitivity, reliability, validation, and translation of results are identified.
Conclusions:
- Further development and refinement of equine pain scoring systems are needed.
- Understanding the limitations of current tools is vital for clinical implementation.
- Objective pain assessment is key to improving equine patient care.
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