Quantitative assessment of increased sensitivity of chronic laminitic horses to hoof tester evoked pain.
Abstract: To evaluate quantitative sensory testing (QST) of the feet of laminitic horses using a power-assisted hoof tester. Objective: Hoof Compression Thresholds (HCTs) can be measured reliably and are consistently lower in horses with chronic laminitis than in normal horses. Methods: HCTs of chronic laminitic (n=7) and normal horses (n=7) were repeatedly measured using a hydraulically powered and feedback controlled hoof tester. Data from 2 tests, at 3 sites in both forefeet, during 3 sessions were collected and statistically analysed using linear mixed models. Results: The mean±s.e. HCT for the laminitic horses was 29.6±3.5 kg/cm2 and for horses in the normal group was 59.8±4.3 kg/cm2. Residual variance was the largest of the error components and was greater (P<0.001) for the normal horses; none of the other components significantly differed between the 2 groups. Averaging of HCTs from each foot could produce a test with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.83 for the normal group and 0.87 for the laminitic group, with an estimated sensitivity of 0.94 and a specificity of 0.93. This test would permit detection with 80% power and 95% confidence of a reduction of over 40% in the difference in mean HCTs between laminitic and normal horses following effective treatment provided that the experimental groups are of 9 or more horses. Conclusions: HCTs can be safely and reliably measured experimentally using this hoof tester. The level of variability found indicates that, under these conditions, treatments may need to produce at least a 40% improvement to be detected. Simplification of the hoof tester, training of the horse and repeated testing may permit the method to be used clinically to detect changes in the HCTs of individual laminitic horses but these potential improvements will require further investigation. Conclusions: Measurement of HCTs can provide an additional means for assessing the effectiveness of treatments for alleviation of chronic equine laminitis.
© 2010 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2010-12-15 PubMed ID: 21143635DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00137.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Animal Health
- Animal Studies
- Chronic Diseases
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Hoof Health
- Horses
- Lameness
- Pain Management
- Statistical Analysis
- Treatment
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The article discusses a study where researchers quantitatively assessed the increased sensitivity to pain of horses with chronic laminitis using a power-assisted hoof tester. The study found that it was possible to measure Hoof Compression Thresholds (HCTs) effectively and these measurements indicated that horses with chronic laminitis had consistently lower HCTs than normal horses.
Objective and Methodology
- The main objective of the study was to evaluate the use of a power-assisted hoof tester for quantitative sensory testing (QST) of horses’ feet affected by chronic laminitis.
- Hoof Compression Thresholds, or HCTs, were measured repeatedly on both chronic laminitic horses (seven in total) and normal horses (also seven) using a hydraulically powered and controlled hoof tester.
- Data were collected from two tests at three different sites in both forefeet over the course of three sessions.
- The collected data was then statistically analyzed using linear mixed models.
Results
- The mean HCT was found to be considerably lower for horses with laminitis compared to those without the condition. The variance was greater for the normal horses compared to the laminitic ones.
- The authors propose that averaging HCTs from each foot could produce a test with high reliability (as indicated by high intraclass correlation coefficients), excellent sensitivity and specificity.
- The authors also suggested that if the test detected a reduction of over 40% in the HCTs difference between laminitic and normal horses following effective treatment, these results would be statistically significant provided the experimental groups had nine or more horses.
Conclusions
- The authors concluded the HCTs can be safely and reliably measured using their hoof tester.
- They noted that the method could be potentially used clinically to identify changes in the HCTs of individual laminitic horses after further improvements, including simplification of the hoof tester and training of the horse.
- The authors also concluded that measuring HCTs could provide an additional method for assessing the effectiveness of treatments designed to alleviate chronic equine laminitis.
Cite This Article
APA
Viñuela-Fernandez I, Jones E, McKendrick IJ, Molony V.
(2010).
Quantitative assessment of increased sensitivity of chronic laminitic horses to hoof tester evoked pain.
Equine Vet J, 43(1), 62-68.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00137.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Chronic Disease
- Foot Diseases / diagnosis
- Foot Diseases / veterinary
- Hoof and Claw
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Pain / diagnosis
- Pain / veterinary
- Pain Measurement / instrumentation
- Pain Measurement / methods
- Pain Measurement / veterinary
- Pain Threshold
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Robinson KA, Manning ST. Efficacy of a single-formula acupuncture treatment for horses with palmar heel pain. Can Vet J 2015 Dec;56(12):1257-60.
- Harris LK, Murrell JC, van Klink EG, Whay HR. Influence of experimental protocol on response rate and repeatability of mechanical threshold testing in dogs. Vet J 2015 Apr;204(1):82-7.
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