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Journal of veterinary internal medicine2023; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16933

Pain scoring systems in hospitalized horses with ocular disease.

Abstract: Pain recognition in hospitalized horses is challenging, and the utility of pain scoring systems in horses with ocular disease has not been well-described. Objective: Evaluate the horse grimace scale (HGS) and behavior pain score (BPS) in hospitalized horses with ocular disease. We hypothesized that HGS and BPS would be associated with different clinical progressions. Methods: Privately owned horses hospitalized for ocular disease between September 2018 and September 2020. Methods: Retrospective observational study. The HGS and BPS were recorded daily throughout hospitalization. Clinical progressions were categorized as: (a) discharge from hospital after medical treatment, (b) ophthalmic surgery (eg, keratectomy, conjunctival flap, amniotic membrane transplantation, corneal transplant), or (c) enucleation. Temporal trends in HGS and BPS were assessed using linear regression. Correlations among slope, intercept, and progression were determined using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Of 65 horses that met inclusion criteria, 29 (45%) were discharged after exclusively medical management, 28 (43%) underwent ophthalmic surgery, and 8 (12%) underwent enucleation. Two horses (3%) had 2 ophthalmic surgeries performed. The BPS scores at admission were higher in horses that were managed medically than in those that underwent enucleation (P = .01). Horses requiring enucleation had higher increases in HGS (P = .02) and BPS (P = .01) during hospitalization than horses that were medically managed and a higher increase in BPS (P = .04) than horses that required ophthalmic surgery. Conclusions: Pain scoring may represent a useful tool for monitoring progression and response to treatment in hospitalized horses with ocular disease.
© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2023-11-19 PubMed ID: 37982362DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16933Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the horse grimace scale (HGS) and behavior pain score (BPS) in identifying pain in horses with eye diseases during hospitalization. The study finds that pain scoring could be a valuable resource in tracking healthcare progression and response to treatment for these horses.

Research Methodology

The study employed a retrospective observational approach, focusing on privately-owned horses that were hospitalized between September 2018 and September 2020 due to ocular disease. Two specific pain scoring systems, namely:

  • Horse Grimace Scale (HGS)
  • Behavior Pain Score (BPS)

were recorded daily during the horses’ hospital stay. The research used these scores to study the clinical progression in these animals, which was divided into three categories:

  • Discharge after medical treatment
  • Ophthalmic surgery
  • Enucleation (eyeball removal)

The research used linear regression to analyze temporal trends in HGS and BPS, with correlations identified via the Kruskal-Wallis test.

Research Results

A total of 65 horses met the criteria used for the study. Clinical progressions were as follows:

  • 29 horses (45%) were discharged after medical treatment
  • 28 horses (43%) underwent one or more forms of ophthalmic surgery
  • 8 horses (12%) had to go through enucleation

A key finding was that the BPS scores upon admission were higher in horses that received medical treatment than in horses that underwent enucleation. Moreover, an interesting trend was observed where horses that needed enucleation experienced higher increases in both HGS and BPS during their hospital stay than horses receiving medical treatment or getting ophthalmic surgery.

Research Conclusions

Based on the data analyzed, the researchers concluded with the hypothesis that pain scoring could be beneficial in tracing treatment response and progress in hospitalized horses suffering from ocular disease. This conclusion is vital since an effective way to gauge pain in such scenarios can significantly help to create better therapeutic strategies and improve welfare for these animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Jodzio D, DeNotta S, Plummer C, Sanchez C. (2023). Pain scoring systems in hospitalized horses with ocular disease. J Vet Intern Med. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16933

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Jodzio, Dayna
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
DeNotta, Sally
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Plummer, Caryn
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
  • Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Sanchez, Chris
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

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