Refinement and partial validation of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale for assessing postoperative pain in horses.
Authors: Taffarel Marilda Onghero, Luna Stelio Pacca Loureiro, de Oliveira Flavia Augusta, Cardoso Guilherme Schiess, Alonso Juliana de Moura, Pantoja Jose Carlos, Brondani Juliana Tabarelli, Love Emma, Taylor Polly, White Kate, Murrell Joanna C
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary Effective pain assessment in horses remains challenging, yet reliable quantification is essential for optimising postoperative management and animal welfare. To refine and validate a multidimensional pain scale, researchers conducted a prospective, randomised, blinded study recruiting 24 client-owned adult horses divided into four groups: anaesthesia only, pre-emptive analgesia plus anaesthesia, castration plus postoperative analgesia, and pre-emptive analgesia plus anaesthesia plus castration. A single blinded investigator assessed all horses before and after intervention using the UNESP-Botucatu scale, whilst four additional blinded evaluators independently scored video recordings at identical timepoints; this rigorous methodology allowed the authors to examine each scale item's relevance, specificity, validity, and inter- and intra-observer reliability. The refined scale demonstrated strong construct validity and responsiveness to both the presence of pain and analgesic intervention, with individual items showing acceptable reliability across observers and timepoints. For equine professionals involved in surgical cases, perioperative pain management and patient monitoring, this validated tool provides an evidence-based, practical instrument for quantifying acute pain severity and objectively evaluating analgesic efficacy, ultimately supporting more consistent and scientifically informed clinical decision-making across different clinical settings.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Use this validated pain scale for objective, consistent assessment of postoperative pain in horses undergoing surgical procedures—it performs reliably across different observers and evaluation methods
- •Implement pre-emptive analgesia protocols before surgery combined with intraoperative and postoperative pain management, as this approach significantly reduces measurable pain indicators compared to pain management started only after surgery
- •The multidimensional nature of the scale captures pain expression more accurately than single-parameter assessment, making it a practical tool for monitoring recovery and adjusting analgesia protocols in real-time
Key Findings
- •A multidimensional composite pain scale was successfully refined and partially validated for assessing postoperative pain in horses using 24 animals across four treatment groups
- •The scale demonstrated good inter- and intra-observer reliability when evaluated by blinded assessors using both direct observation and video evaluation
- •Pre-emptive analgesia combined with intraoperative anaesthesia and postoperative pain management significantly reduced pain indicators compared to anaesthesia alone
- •The scale showed construct validity and responsiveness to pain, with distinct differences in pain scores between horses receiving different analgesic protocols