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McCoy ES, Park SK, Patel RP, Ryan DF, Mullen ZJ, Nesbitt JJ, Lopez JE, Taylor-Blake B, Vanden KA, Krantz JL, Hu W, Garris RL, Snyder MG, Lima LV, Sotocinal SG, Austin JS, Kashlan AD, Shah S, Trocinski AK, Pudipeddi SS, Major RM, Bazick HO, Klein MR, Mogil JS, Wu G, Zylka MJ. Development of PainFace software to simplify, standardize, and scale up mouse grimace analyses. Pain 2024; 165:1793-1805. [PMID: 39024163 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Facial grimacing is used to quantify spontaneous pain in mice and other mammals, but scoring relies on humans with different levels of proficiency. Here, we developed a cloud-based software platform called PainFace ( http://painface.net ) that uses machine learning to detect 4 facial action units of the mouse grimace scale (orbitals, nose, ears, whiskers) and score facial grimaces of black-coated C57BL/6 male and female mice on a 0 to 8 scale. Platform accuracy was validated in 2 different laboratories, with 3 conditions that evoke grimacing-laparotomy surgery, bilateral hindpaw injection of carrageenan, and intraplantar injection of formalin. PainFace can generate up to 1 grimace score per second from a standard 30 frames/s video, making it possible to quantify facial grimacing over time, and operates at a speed that scales with computing power. By analyzing the frequency distribution of grimace scores, we found that mice spent 7x more time in a "high grimace" state following laparotomy surgery relative to sham surgery controls. Our study shows that PainFace reproducibly quantifies facial grimaces indicative of nonevoked spontaneous pain and enables laboratories to standardize and scale-up facial grimace analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S McCoy
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Departments of Cell Biology & Physiology and
| | - Sang Kyoon Park
- Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Rahul P Patel
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Dan F Ryan
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Departments of Cell Biology & Physiology and
| | | | | | - Josh E Lopez
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Bonnie Taylor-Blake
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Departments of Cell Biology & Physiology and
| | - Kelly A Vanden
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - James L Krantz
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Departments of Cell Biology & Physiology and
| | - Wenxin Hu
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Departments of Cell Biology & Physiology and
| | - Rosanna L Garris
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Departments of Cell Biology & Physiology and
| | - Magdalyn G Snyder
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Lucas V Lima
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Susana G Sotocinal
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Sebastien Austin
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Adam D Kashlan
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Sanya Shah
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Abigail K Trocinski
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Samhitha S Pudipeddi
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Rami M Major
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Hannah O Bazick
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Morgan R Klein
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jeffrey S Mogil
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Guorong Wu
- Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Computer Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Mark J Zylka
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Departments of Cell Biology & Physiology and
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2
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Chiavaccini L, Gupta A, Chiavaccini G. From facial expressions to algorithms: a narrative review of animal pain recognition technologies. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1436795. [PMID: 39086767 PMCID: PMC11288915 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1436795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Facial expressions are essential for communication and emotional expression across species. Despite the improvements brought by tools like the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) in pain recognition in horses, their reliance on human identification of characteristic traits presents drawbacks such as subjectivity, training requirements, costs, and potential bias. Despite these challenges, the development of facial expression pain scales for animals has been making strides. To address these limitations, Automated Pain Recognition (APR) powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers a promising advancement. Notably, computer vision and machine learning have revolutionized our approach to identifying and addressing pain in non-verbal patients, including animals, with profound implications for both veterinary medicine and animal welfare. By leveraging the capabilities of AI algorithms, we can construct sophisticated models capable of analyzing diverse data inputs, encompassing not only facial expressions but also body language, vocalizations, and physiological signals, to provide precise and objective evaluations of an animal's pain levels. While the advancement of APR holds great promise for improving animal welfare by enabling better pain management, it also brings forth the need to overcome data limitations, ensure ethical practices, and develop robust ground truth measures. This narrative review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview, tracing the journey from the initial application of facial expression recognition for the development of pain scales in animals to the recent application, evolution, and limitations of APR, thereby contributing to understanding this rapidly evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Chiavaccini
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Anjali Gupta
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Uzae KZ, Trindade PHE, Rattes PZ, Campos ALDS, Bornal LG, Teixeira MB, García HDM, Pupulim AG, Denadai R, Rossi EDS, Kastelic JP, Ferreira JCP. Acute post-orchiectomy pain does not reduce alpha rams' interest in feed resources. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1299550. [PMID: 38566752 PMCID: PMC10985335 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1299550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Sheep pain is an animal welfare issue monitored based on behavioral responses, including appetite. Dominant (alpha) males have priority for accessing limited feed resources, however, the effects of pain on feed interest in members of a group with defined social hierarchy are unknown. Our objective was to investigate effects of acute post-orchiectomy pain on alpha rams' interest in accessing a limited feed resource. Eighteen rams were randomly housed in pens of 3 rams. After acclimation, the first 5-d (consecutive) battery of a behavior test was performed. In this test, 180 g of the regular diet concentrate was placed in a portable trough in the center of the pen; this feed was supplemental to the diet and represented a limited, albeit strongly preferable feed resource. Rams were filmed for 5 min after the feed introduction. Hierarchical levels (alpha, beta, and gamma) were defined based on the social hierarchical index according to higher initiator and lower receptor agonistic behaviors from the social network analyses. After 15 d, a second 5-d behavioral test battery was repeated. On the following day, alpha rams were castrated. Flunixin meglumine was given immediately before surgery and a final behavioral test was performed 8 h post-orchiectomy, concurrent with an expected peak in postoperative pain. For all recordings, the latency, frequency, and duration of time that each ram had its mouth inside the feed trough were recorded, and the Unesp-Botucatu sheep acute pain scale pain scale (USAPS) was applied. The social hierarchical index was highest in alpha rams, followed by beta and gamma. The pain scores were statistically equivalent across the 11 evaluation days for beta and gamma rams, whereas there was an increase in the final evaluation for alpha. There was no difference in latency, frequency, and duration between alpha, beta, and gamma rams across evaluations. We concluded that acute post-orchiectomy pain did not decrease alpha rams' interest in accessing limited feed. Routine feeding offers a valuable chance to detect pain-related behavior using the USAPS in rams. However, dominance may confound appetite-related behaviors in assessing acute pain, as alpha rams' interest in limited feed remained unaffected by the pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kauany Zorzenon Uzae
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Pedro Henrique Esteves Trindade
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Paula Zanin Rattes
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Anna Laura de Sousa Campos
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Leornado Garcia Bornal
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Marina Belucci Teixeira
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Henry David Mogollón García
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Antônio Guilherme Pupulim
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Renan Denadai
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Eduardo dos Santos Rossi
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
| | | | - João Carlos Pinheiro Ferreira
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil
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Kongara K, Singh P, Venkatachalam D, Chambers JP. Pain Assessment in Goat Kids: Focus on Disbudding. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3814. [PMID: 38136851 PMCID: PMC10871115 DOI: 10.3390/ani13243814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Farm animals are routinely subjected to painful husbandry procedures for various purposes. Goat kids are disbudded to improve goat welfare and to ensure safety of other livestock, farm personnel, attending veterinarians and for various other production and managemental procedures. Disbudding is commonly performed on dairy goat farms, in kids under 3 weeks of age. Many scientific studies reported physiological and behavioural changes indicating pain and distress following disbudding, and this can be a significant cause of welfare compromise in goat kids. Recognition and measurement of pain is important to treat and/or manage pain and distress following painful procedures. This review focuses on pain assessment in goat kids following disbudding, using both physiological and behavioural measures. As only a limited information is available on the topic of interest, relevant studies in other young farm animals have also been discussed to compare the status quo in goat kids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavitha Kongara
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand; (P.S.); (J.P.C.)
| | - Preet Singh
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand; (P.S.); (J.P.C.)
| | | | - John Paul Chambers
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand; (P.S.); (J.P.C.)
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Marini D, Monk JE, Campbell DL, Lee C, Belson S, Small A. Sex impacts pain behaviour but not emotional reactivity of lambs following ring tail docking. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15092. [PMID: 37009150 PMCID: PMC10064992 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies in humans have shown sex differences in response to painful events, however, little is known in relation to sex differences in sheep. Understanding sex differences would enable improved experimental design and interpretation of studies of painful procedures in sheep. To examine sex differences in response to pain, 80 lambs were tested across five cohorts of 16. The lambs were penned in groups containing two male and two female lambs with their respective mothers. Lambs were randomly allocated from within each block to one of four treatment groups; FRing–Female lamb, ring tail docked without analgesia, MRing–Male lamb, ring tail docked without analgesia, FSham–Female lamb, tail manipulated and MSham–Male lamb, tail manipulated. Following treatment, lambs were returned to their pen and were video recorded for 45 mins for behavioural observations of acute pain and posture. An hour after treatment, lambs then underwent an emotional reactivity test that consisted of three phases: Isolation, Novelty and Startle. Following treatment, Ring lambs displayed more abnormal postures (mean = 2.5 ± 0.5) compared to Sham lambs (mean = 0.05 ± 0.4, P = 0.0001). There was an effect of sex on the display of acute pain-related behaviours in lambs that were tail docked (P < 0.001), with female lambs displaying more acute behaviours (mean count = +2.2). This difference in behaviour between sexes was not observed in Sham lambs. There was no effect of sex on display of postures related to pain (P = 0.99). During the Novelty and Startle phase of the emotional reactivity test, Ring lambs tended to (P = 0.084) or did (P = 0.018) show more fear related behaviours, respectively. However, no effect of sex was observed. The results of this study indicate that a pain state may alter the emotional response of lambs to novel objects and potential fearful situations. It was also demonstrated that female lambs display increased sensitivity to the acute pain caused by tail docking compared to males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danila Marini
- Agriculture and Food, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
- Davies Livestock Research Centre, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jessica E. Monk
- Agriculture and Food, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, The University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dana L.M. Campbell
- Agriculture and Food, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Caroline Lee
- Agriculture and Food, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sue Belson
- Agriculture and Food, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alison Small
- Agriculture and Food, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
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Paterson EA, O’Malley CI, Moody C, Vogel S, Authier S, Turner PV. Development and validation of a cynomolgus macaque grimace scale for acute pain assessment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3209. [PMID: 36828891 PMCID: PMC9958007 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30380-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cynomolgus macaques may undergo surgical procedures for scientific and veterinary purposes. Recognition and assessment of pain using validated tools is a necessary first step for adequately managing pain in these primates. Grimace scales are one means of assessing the occurance of acute pain using action units such as facial expressions and posture. The aim of this study was to create and validate a Cynomolgus Macaque Grimace Scale (CMGS). Cynomolgus macaques (n = 43) were video recorded before and after a surgical procedure. Images were extracted from videos at timepoints at which breakthrough pain might be expected based on analgesic pharmacokinetics. Using the CMGS images were scored by 12 observers blinded to animal identification, times, and conditions. To validate the tool, detailed behavioral analyses emphasizing changes to baseline activity ethograms were compared to grimace scores. Four action units were identified related to potential pain including orbital tightening, brow lowering, cheek tightening, and hunched posture. The CMGS tool was found to have moderate inter- (ICCaverage action unit mean ± SD: 0.67 ± 0.28) and good intra- (ICCsingle mean ± SD: 0.79 ± 0.14) observer reliability. Grimace scores increased significantly (p < 0.0001) in the first four post-operative timepoints compared to baseline, correlating with behavioral findings (rho range = 0.22-0.35, p < 0.001). An analgesic intervention threshold was determined and should be considered when providing additional pain relief. The CMGS was shown to be a reliable and valid tool; however, more research is needed to confirm external validity. This tool will be highly valuable for refining analgesic protocols and acute peri-procedural care for cynomolgus macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie A. Paterson
- grid.34429.380000 0004 1936 8198Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON Canada
| | - Carly I. O’Malley
- grid.280920.10000 0001 1530 1808Global Animal Welfare and Training, Charles River, Wilmington, MA USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Present Address: Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Carly Moody
- grid.280920.10000 0001 1530 1808Global Animal Welfare and Training, Charles River, Wilmington, MA USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Present Address: Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Susan Vogel
- Veterinary Services, Charles River Montreal, Senneville, QC Canada
| | - Simon Authier
- Veterinary-Safety Pharmacology Services, Charles River Laval, Laval, QC Canada
| | - Patricia V. Turner
- grid.34429.380000 0004 1936 8198Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON Canada ,grid.280920.10000 0001 1530 1808Global Animal Welfare and Training, Charles River, Wilmington, MA USA
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Alini M, Diwan AD, Erwin WM, Little CB, Melrose J. An update on animal models of intervertebral disc degeneration and low back pain: Exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to improve research analysis and development of prospective therapeutics. JOR Spine 2023; 6:e1230. [PMID: 36994457 PMCID: PMC10041392 DOI: 10.1002/jsp2.1230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models have been invaluable in the identification of molecular events occurring in and contributing to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and important therapeutic targets have been identified. Some outstanding animal models (murine, ovine, chondrodystrophoid canine) have been identified with their own strengths and weaknesses. The llama/alpaca, horse and kangaroo have emerged as new large species for IVD studies, and only time will tell if they will surpass the utility of existing models. The complexity of IVD degeneration poses difficulties in the selection of the most appropriate molecular target of many potential candidates, to focus on in the formulation of strategies to effect disc repair and regeneration. It may well be that many therapeutic objectives should be targeted simultaneously to effect a favorable outcome in human IVD degeneration. Use of animal models in isolation will not allow resolution of this complex issue and a paradigm shift and adoption of new methodologies is required to provide the next step forward in the determination of an effective repairative strategy for the IVD. AI has improved the accuracy and assessment of spinal imaging supporting clinical diagnostics and research efforts to better understand IVD degeneration and its treatment. Implementation of AI in the evaluation of histology data has improved the usefulness of a popular murine IVD model and could also be used in an ovine histopathological grading scheme that has been used to quantify degenerative IVD changes and stem cell mediated regeneration. These models are also attractive candidates for the evaluation of novel anti-oxidant compounds that counter inflammatory conditions in degenerate IVDs and promote IVD regeneration. Some of these compounds also have pain-relieving properties. AI has facilitated development of facial recognition pain assessment in animal IVD models offering the possibility of correlating the potential pain alleviating properties of some of these compounds with IVD regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Alini
- AO Research Institute Davos Platz Switzerland
| | - Ashish D. Diwan
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, St. George & Sutherland Campus, Clinical School University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - W. Mark Erwin
- Department of Surgery University of Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Chirstopher B. Little
- Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratory Kolling Institute, Sydney University Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Sydney Area Health District, Royal North Shore Hospital St. Leonards New South Wales Australia
| | - James Melrose
- Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratory Kolling Institute, Sydney University Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Sydney Area Health District, Royal North Shore Hospital St. Leonards New South Wales Australia
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering The University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
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Tomacheuski RM, Monteiro BP, Evangelista MC, Luna SPL, Steagall PV. Measurement properties of pain scoring instruments in farm animals: A systematic review using the COSMIN checklist. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280830. [PMID: 36662813 PMCID: PMC9858734 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This systematic review aimed to investigate the measurement properties of pain scoring instruments in farm animals. According to the PRISMA guidelines, a registered report protocol was previously published in this journal. Studies reporting the development and validation of acute and chronic pain scoring instruments based on behavioral and/or facial expressions of farm animals were searched. Data extraction and assessment were performed individually by two investigators using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines. Nine categories were assessed: two for scale development (general design requirements and development, and content validity and comprehensibility) and seven for measurement properties (internal consistency, reliability, measurement error, criterion and construct validity, responsiveness and cross-cultural validity). The overall strength of evidence (high, moderate, low, or very low) of each instrument was scored based on methodological quality, number of studies and studies' findings. Twenty instruments for three species (bovine, ovine and swine) were included. There was considerable variability concerning their development and measurement properties. Three behavior-based instruments scored high for strength of evidence: UCAPS (Unesp-Botucatu Unidimensional Composite Pain Scale for assessing postoperative pain in cattle), USAPS (Unesp-Botucatu Sheep Acute Composite Pain Scale) and UPAPS (Unesp-Botucatu Pig Composite Acute Pain Scale). Four instruments scored moderate for strength of evidence: MPSS (Multidimensional Pain Scoring System for bovine), SPFES (Sheep Pain Facial Expression Scale), LGS (Lamb Grimace Scale) and PGS-B (Piglet Grimace Scale-B). Most instruments (n = 13) scored low or very low for final overall evidence. Construct validity was the most reported measurement property followed by criterion validity and reliability. Instruments with reported validation are urgently required for pain assessment of buffalos, goats, camelids and avian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubia Mitalli Tomacheuski
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Medical School (FMB) of São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Paglerani Monteiro
- Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Marina Cayetano Evangelista
- Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Stelio Pacca Loureiro Luna
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Vinícius Steagall
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Medical School (FMB) of São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
- Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Centre for Companion Animal Health and Welfare, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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van Zeeland Y, Schoemaker N. Pain Recognition in Ferrets. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 2023; 26:229-243. [PMID: 36402483 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvex.2022.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recognition and accurate assessment of the severity of pain can be challenging in ferrets as they are unable to verbally communicate, and often hide their pain. Pain assessment relies on the assessment of behavioral, physiologic, and other clinical parameters that serve as indirect indicators of pain. Assessment of physiologic and clinical parameters requires handling, which results in changes in these parameters. Behavioral parameters can be assessed less invasively by observing the patient. Due to their nonspecificity, correct interpretation may be challenging. Just as in other species, a grimace scale seems to be the most helpful tool in recognizing pain in ferrets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne van Zeeland
- Division of Zoological Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 108, Utrecht 3584 CM, the Netherlands
| | - Nico Schoemaker
- Division of Zoological Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 108, Utrecht 3584 CM, the Netherlands.
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Pinho RH, Justo AA, Cima DS, Fonseca MW, Minto BW, Rocha FDL, Leach MC, Luna SPL. Effects of Human Observer Presence on Pain Assessment Using Facial Expressions in Rabbits. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2023; 62:81-86. [PMID: 36755205 PMCID: PMC9936855 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-22-000056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of a human observer on Rabbit Grimace Scale (RbtGS) scores. The study scored video footage taken of 28 rabbits before and after orthopedic surgery, as follows: 24 h before surgery ( baseline), 1 h after surgery ( pain), 3 h after analgesia administration ( analgesia), and 24 h after surgery ( 24h) in the presence and absence of an observer. Videos were assessed twice in random order by 3 evaluators who were blind to the collection time and the presence or absence of an observer. Responses to pain and analgesia were evaluated by comparing the 4 time points using the Friedman test, followed by the Dunn test. The influence of the presence or absence of the observer at each time point was evaluated using the Wilcoxon test. Intra- and interrater reliabilities were estimated using the intraclass correlation coefficient. The scale was responsive to pain, as the scores increased after surgery and had decreased by 24 h after surgery. The presence of the observer reduced significantly the RbtGS scores (median and range) at pain (present, 0.75, 0 to 1.75; absent, 1, 0 to 2) and increased the scores at baseline (present, 0.2, 0 to 2; absent, 0, 0 to 2) and 24h after surgery (present, 0.33, 0 to 1.75; absent, 0.2, 0 to 1.5). The intrarater reliability was good (0.69) to very good (0.82) and interrater reliability was moderate (0.49) to good (0.67). Thus, the RbtGS appeared to detect pain when scored from video footage of rabbits before and after orthopedic surgery. In the presence of the observer, the pain scores were underestimated at the time considered to be associated with the greatest pain and overestimated at the times of little or no pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata H Pinho
- Department of Surgical Specialties and Anesthesiology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,,Corresponding author.
| | - André A Justo
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniela S Cima
- Department of Surgical Specialties and Anesthesiology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mariana W Fonseca
- Department of Surgical Specialties and Anesthesiology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bruno W Minto
- Department of Veterinary Clinics and Surgery, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabiana D L Rocha
- Department of Veterinary Clinics and Surgery, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Matthew C Leach
- School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Stelio P L Luna
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
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11
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Fischer-Tenhagen C, Meier J, Pohl A. "Do not look at me like that": Is the facial expression score reliable and accurate to evaluate pain in large domestic animals? A systematic review. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1002681. [PMID: 36561394 PMCID: PMC9763617 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1002681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Facial expression scoring has proven to be useful for pain evaluation in humans. In the last decade, equivalent scales have been developed for various animal species, including large domestic animals. The research question of this systematic review was as follows: is facial expression scoring (intervention) a valid method to evaluate pain (the outcome) in large domestic animals (population)? Method We searched two databases for relevant articles using the search string: "grimace scale" OR "facial expression" AND animal OR "farm animal" NOT "mouse" NOT "rat" NOT "laboratory animal." The risk of bias was estimated by adapting the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) checklist. Results The search strategy extracted 30 articles, with the major share on equids and a considerable number on cows, pigs, and sheep. Most studies evaluated facial action units (FAUs), including the eye region, the orbital region, the cheek or the chewing muscles, the lips, the mouth, and the position of the ears. Interobserver reliability was tested in 21 studies. Overall FAU reliability was substantial, but there were differences for individual FAUs. The position of the ear had almost perfect interobserver reliability (interclass coefficient (ICC): 0.73-0.97). Validity was tested in five studies with the reported accuracy values ranging from 68.2 to 80.0%. Discussion This systematic review revealed that facial expression scores provide an easy method for learning and reliable test results to identify whether an animal is in pain or distress. Many studies lack a reference standard and a true control group. Further research is warranted to evaluate the test accuracy of facial expression scoring as a live pen side test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Fischer-Tenhagen
- German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany,*Correspondence: Carola Fischer-Tenhagen
| | - Jennifer Meier
- German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Alina Pohl
- Clinic of Animal Reproduction, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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12
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Gris VN, Broche N, Kaneko A, Okamoto M, Suzuki J, Mills DS, Miyabe-Nishiwaki T. Investigating subtle changes in facial expression to assess acute pain in Japanese macaques. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19675. [PMID: 36385151 PMCID: PMC9669003 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23595-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in facial expression provide cues for assessing emotional states in mammals and may provide non-verbal signals of pain. This study uses geometric morphometrics (GMM) to explore the facial shape variation in female Japanese macaques who underwent experimental laparotomy. Face image samples were collected from video footage of fourteen macaques before surgery and 1, 3, and 7 days after the procedure. Image samples in the pre-surgical condition were considered pain-free, and facial expressions emerging after surgery were investigated as potential indicators of pain. Landmarks for shape analysis were selected based on the underlying facial musculature and their corresponding facial action units and then annotated in 324 pre-surgical and 750 post-surgical images. The expression of pain is likely to vary between individuals. Tightly closed eyelids or squeezed eyes and lip tension were the most commonly observed facial changes on day 1 after surgery (p < 0.01974). A good overall inter-rater reliability [ICC = 0.99 (95% CI 0.75-1.0)] was observed with the method. The study emphasizes the importance of individualized assessment and provides a better understanding of facial cues to pain for captive macaque care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa N Gris
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Nelson Broche
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Akihisa Kaneko
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Munehiro Okamoto
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Juri Suzuki
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Daniel S Mills
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Takako Miyabe-Nishiwaki
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan.
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan.
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13
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Carvalho JRG, Trindade PHE, Conde G, Antonioli ML, Funnicelli MIG, Dias PP, Canola PA, Chinelatto MA, Ferraz GC. Facial Expressions of Horses Using Weighted Multivariate Statistics for Assessment of Subtle Local Pain Induced by Polylactide-Based Polymers Implanted Subcutaneously. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182400. [PMID: 36139260 PMCID: PMC9495041 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Facial expression (FE) has been used for pain diagnosis in horses. The current study aimed to identify pain in horses undergoing under-skin polylactide-based polymer implantation. Five statistical methods for analyzing FE were used, including conventional and new approaches. First, we scored the seven FEs separately. Subsequently, the scores of the seven FEs were added (SUM). Subsequently, principal component analysis (PCoA) was performed using the scores of the seven FEs obtained using the first method. Afterwards, weights were created for each FE based on each variable’s contribution variability obtained from the PCoA (SUM.W). Finally, we applied a general score to the animal’s face (GFS). The horses were filmed before and 24 and 48 h after implantation. The tissue sensitivity to mechanical stimulation and skin temperature of the horses were assessed at the same time points. The results show no changes in the FEs analyzed separately or jointly. The horses with incision and suture but no polymer implant displayed a higher pain-related FE 48 h after implantation, while the horses implanted with polymers displayed more apparent alterations in the mechanical skin sensitivity and temperature. Our findings show that the five statistical methods used to analyze the faces of the horses were not able to detect low-grade inflammatory pain. Abstract Facial-expression-based analysis has been widely applied as a pain coding system in horses. Herein, we aimed to identify pain in horses undergoing subcutaneously polylactide-based polymer implantation. The sham group was submitted only to surgical incision. The horses were filmed before and 24 and 48 h after implantation. Five statistical methods for evaluating their facial expressions (FEs) were tested. Primarily, three levels of scores (0, 1, and 2) were applied to the seven FEs (ear movements, eyebrow tension, orbicularis tension, dilated nostrils, eye opening, muzzle tension, and masticatory muscles tension). Subsequently, the scores of the seven FEs were added (SUM). Afterwards, principal component analysis (PCoA) was performed using the scores of the seven FEs obtained using the first method. Subsequently, weights were created for each FE, based on each variable’s contribution variability obtained from the PCoA (SUM.W). Lastly, we applied a general score (GFS) to the animal’s face (0 = without pain; 1 = moderate pain; 2 = severe pain). The mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) and cutaneous temperature (CT) values were collected at the same moments. The results show no intra- or intergroup differences, when evaluating each FE separately or in the GFS. In the intragroup comparison and 48 h after implantation, the control group showed higher values for SUM, PCoA, and SUM.W, although the horses implanted with polymers displayed more obvious alterations in the CT and MNT. Our findings show that the five statistical strategies used to analyze the faces of the horses were not able to detect low-grade inflammatory pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlia R. G. Carvalho
- Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University, FCAV/UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Pedro H. E. Trindade
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University, FMVZ/UNESP, Botucatu 18618-681, SP, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Conde
- Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University, FCAV/UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Marina L. Antonioli
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Surgery, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, FCAV/UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Michelli I. G. Funnicelli
- Department of Technology, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, FCAV/UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Paula P. Dias
- Department of Materials Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, EESC/USP, São Carlos 13563-120, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo A. Canola
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Surgery, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, FCAV/UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo A. Chinelatto
- Department of Materials Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, EESC/USP, São Carlos 13563-120, SP, Brazil
| | - Guilherme C. Ferraz
- Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University, FCAV/UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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14
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Paterson EA, Turner PV. Challenges with Assessing and Treating Pain in Research Primates: A Focused Survey and Literature Review. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12172304. [PMID: 36078024 PMCID: PMC9455027 DOI: 10.3390/ani12172304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Research primates may undergo surgical procedures making effective pain management essential to ensure good animal welfare and unbiased scientific data. Adequate pain mitigation is dependent on whether veterinarians, technicians, researchers, and caregivers can recognize and assess pain, as well as the availability of efficacious therapeutics. A survey was conducted to evaluate primate veterinary approaches to pain assessment and alleviation, as well as expressed challenges for adequately managing primate pain. The survey (n = 93 respondents) collected information regarding institutional policies and procedures for pain recognition, methods used for pain relief, and perceived levels of confidence in primate pain assessment. Results indicated that 71% (n = 60) of respondents worked at institutions that were without formal experimental pain assessment policies. Pain assessment methods were consistent across respondents with the majority evaluating pain based on changes in general activity levels (100%, n = 86) and food consumption (97%, n = 84). Self-reported confidence in recognizing and managing pain ranged from slightly confident to highly confident, and there was a commonly expressed concern about the lack of objective pain assessment tools and science-based evidence regarding therapeutic recommendations of analgesics for research primates. These opinions correspond with significant gaps in the primate pain management literature, including limited specific pharmacokinetic data and efficacy testing for commonly used analgesics in research primate species as well as limited research on objective and specific measures of pain in research primates. These results demonstrate that there are inconsistencies in institutional policies and procedures surrounding pain management in research primates and a lack of objective pain assessment methods. Demonstrating the gaps and challenges in primate pain management can inform guideline development and suggest areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie A Paterson
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 0C4, Canada
| | - Patricia V Turner
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 0C4, Canada
- Global Animal Welfare and Training, Charles River, Wilmington, MA 01887, USA
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15
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A model-specific simplification of the Mouse Grimace Scale based on the pain response of intraperitoneal CCl 4 injections. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10910. [PMID: 35764784 PMCID: PMC9240072 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14852-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its long establishment and applicability in mice pain detection, the Mouse Grimace Scale still seems to be underused in acute pain detection during chronic experiments. However, broadening its applicability can identify possible refinement approaches such as cumulative severity and habituation to painful stimuli. Therefore, this study focuses on two main aspects: First, five composite MGS criteria were evaluated with two independent methods (the MoBPs algorithm and a penalized least squares regression) and ranked for their relative importance. The most important variable was used in a second analysis to specifically evaluate the context of pain after an i.p. injection (intervention) in two treatment groups (CCl4 and oil (control)) at fixed times throughout four weeks in 24 male C57BL/6 N mice. One hour before and after each intervention, video recordings were taken, and the MGS assessment was performed. In this study, the results indicate orbital tightening as the most important criterion. In this experimental setup, a highly significant difference after treatment between week 0 and 1 was found in the CCl4 group, resulting in a medium-sized effect (W = 62.5, p value < 0.0001, rCCl4 = 0.64). The oil group showed no significant difference (week 0 vs 1, W = 291.5, p value = 0.7875, rcontrol = 0.04). Therefore, the study showed that the pain caused by i.p. injections was only dependent on the applied substance, and no significant cumulation or habituation occurred due to the intervention. Further, the results indicated that the MGS system can be simplified.
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16
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Feighelstein M, Shimshoni I, Finka LR, Luna SPL, Mills DS, Zamansky A. Automated recognition of pain in cats. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9575. [PMID: 35688852 PMCID: PMC9187730 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13348-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial expressions in non-human animals are closely linked to their internal affective states, with the majority of empirical work focusing on facial shape changes associated with pain. However, existing tools for facial expression analysis are prone to human subjectivity and bias, and in many cases also require special expertise and training. This paper presents the first comparative study of two different paths towards automatizing pain recognition in facial images of domestic short haired cats (n = 29), captured during ovariohysterectomy at different time points corresponding to varying intensities of pain. One approach is based on convolutional neural networks (ResNet50), while the other-on machine learning models based on geometric landmarks analysis inspired by species specific Facial Action Coding Systems (i.e. catFACS). Both types of approaches reach comparable accuracy of above 72%, indicating their potential usefulness as a basis for automating cat pain detection from images.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ilan Shimshoni
- Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Lauren R Finka
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Stelio P L Luna
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel S Mills
- School of Life Sciences, Joseph Bank Laboratories, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Anna Zamansky
- Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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17
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Johnston CH, Whittaker AL, Franklin SH, Hutchinson MR. The Neuroimmune Interface and Chronic Pain Through the Lens of Production Animals. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:887042. [PMID: 35663552 PMCID: PMC9160236 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.887042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Communication between the central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system has gained much attention for its fundamental role in the development of chronic and pathological pain in humans and rodent models. Following peripheral nerve injury, neuroimmune signaling within the CNS plays an important role in the pathophysiological changes in pain sensitivity that lead to chronic pain. In production animals, routine husbandry procedures such as tail docking and castration, often involve some degree of inflammation and peripheral nerve injury and consequently may lead to chronic pain. Our understanding of chronic pain in animals is limited by the difficulty in measuring this pathological pain state. In light of this, we have reviewed the current understanding of chronic pain in production animals. We discuss our ability to measure pain and the implications this has on animal welfare and production outcomes. Further research into the neuroimmune interface in production animals will improve our fundamental understanding of chronic pain and better inform human clinical pain management and animal husbandry practices and interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte H. Johnston
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Alexandra L. Whittaker
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia
| | - Samantha H. Franklin
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia
- Equine Health and Performance Centre, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia
| | - Mark R. Hutchinson
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Davies Livestock Research Centre, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia
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18
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Goder D, Eshkol-Yogev I, Matsliah L, Lemberger M, Harlev M, Furer A, Zilberman M, Egozi D. In vivo study of the efficacy of bupivacaine-eluting novel soy protein wound dressings in a rat burn model. Burns 2022; 48:623-632. [PMID: 34330581 DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Dealing with wound related pain is an integral part of treatment. Systemic administration of analgesic and anesthetic agents is a common solution for providing pain relief to patients but comes at a risk of severe side effects as well as addiction. To overcome these issues, research efforts were madeto provide a platform for local controlled release of pain killers. We have developed a bilayer soy protein-based wound dressing for the controlled local release of bupivacaine to the wound site. The combination of a dense and a porous layer provides a platform for cell growth and proliferation as well as physical protection to the wound site. The current study focuses on the in vitro bupivacaine release profile from the dressing and the corresponding in vivo results of pain levels in a second-degree burn model on rats. The Rat Grimace Scale method and the Von Frey filaments method were used to quantify both, spontaneous pain and mechanically induced pain. A high burst release of 61.8 ± 1.9% of the loaded drug was obtained during the initial hour, followed by a slower release rate during the following day. The animal trials show that the RGS scores of the bupivacaine-treated group were significantly lower than these of the untreated group, proving a decrease of 51-68% in pain levels during days 1-3 after burn. Hence, successful pain reduction of spontaneous pain as well as mechanically induced pain, for at least three days after burn was achieved. It is concluded that our novel bupivacaine eluting soy protein wound dressings are a promising new concept in the field of local controlled drug release for pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Goder
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Inbar Eshkol-Yogev
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Lior Matsliah
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Moran Lemberger
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Mickey Harlev
- Veterinary Service Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ariel Furer
- Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Israel
| | - Meital Zilberman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
| | - Dana Egozi
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel
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Affective State Recognition in Livestock—Artificial Intelligence Approaches. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12060759. [PMID: 35327156 PMCID: PMC8944789 DOI: 10.3390/ani12060759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Emotions or affective states recognition in farm animals is an underexplored research domain. Despite significant advances in animal welfare research, animal affective state computing through the development and application of devices and platforms that can not only recognize but interpret and process the emotions, are in a nascent stage. The analysis and measurement of unique behavioural, physical, and biological characteristics offered by biometric sensor technologies and the affiliated complex and large data sets, opens the pathway for novel and realistic identification of individual animals amongst a herd or a flock. By capitalizing on the immense potential of biometric sensors, artificial intelligence enabled big data methods offer substantial advancement of animal welfare standards and meet the urgent needs of caretakers to respond effectively to maintain the wellbeing of their animals. Abstract Farm animals, numbering over 70 billion worldwide, are increasingly managed in large-scale, intensive farms. With both public awareness and scientific evidence growing that farm animals experience suffering, as well as affective states such as fear, frustration and distress, there is an urgent need to develop efficient and accurate methods for monitoring their welfare. At present, there are not scientifically validated ‘benchmarks’ for quantifying transient emotional (affective) states in farm animals, and no established measures of good welfare, only indicators of poor welfare, such as injury, pain and fear. Conventional approaches to monitoring livestock welfare are time-consuming, interrupt farming processes and involve subjective judgments. Biometric sensor data enabled by artificial intelligence is an emerging smart solution to unobtrusively monitoring livestock, but its potential for quantifying affective states and ground-breaking solutions in their application are yet to be realized. This review provides innovative methods for collecting big data on farm animal emotions, which can be used to train artificial intelligence models to classify, quantify and predict affective states in individual pigs and cows. Extending this to the group level, social network analysis can be applied to model emotional dynamics and contagion among animals. Finally, ‘digital twins’ of animals capable of simulating and predicting their affective states and behaviour in real time are a near-term possibility.
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Proposed multidimensional pain outcome methodology to demonstrate analgesic drug efficacy and facilitate future drug approval for piglet castration. Anim Health Res Rev 2021; 22:163-176. [PMID: 34859764 DOI: 10.1017/s1466252321000141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Castration of male piglets in the United States is conducted without analgesics because no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved products are labeled for pain control in swine. The absence of approved products is primarily due to a wide variation in how pain is measured in suckling piglets and the lack of validated pain-specific outcomes individually indistinct from other biological responses, such as general stress or inflammation responses with cortisol. Simply put, to measure pain mitigation, measurement of pain must be specific, quantifiable, and defined. Therefore, given the need for mitigating castration pain, a consortium of researchers, veterinarians, industry, and regulatory agencies was formed to identify potential animal-based outcomes and develop a methodology, based on the known scientific research, to measure pain and the efficacy of mitigation strategies. The outcome-based measures included physiological, neuroendocrine, behavioral, and production parameters. Ultimately, this consortium aims to provide a validated multimodal methodology to demonstrate analgesic drug efficacy for piglet castration.Measurable outcomes were selected based on published studies suggesting their validity, reliability, and sensitivity for the direct or indirect measurement of pain associated with surgical castration in piglets. Outcomes to be considered are observation of pain behaviors (i.e. ethogram defined behaviors and piglet grimace scale), gait parameters measured with a pressure mat, infrared thermography of skin temperature of the cranium and periphery of the eye, and blood biomarkers. Other measures include body weight and mortality rate.This standardized measurement of the outcome variable's primary goal is to facilitate consistency and rigor by developing a research methodology utilizing endpoints that are well-defined and reliably measure pain in piglets. The resulting methodology will facilitate and guide the evaluation of the effectiveness of comprehensive analgesic interventions for 3- to 5-day-old piglets following surgical castration.
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Animal-Based Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment in Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11102973. [PMID: 34679992 PMCID: PMC8532706 DOI: 10.3390/ani11102973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary As we keep and use sheep, we need to be able to assess their welfare and deal with welfare problems as they arise. To assess welfare, a comprehensive protocol based on valid and feasible indicators is needed. The aim of this study was to review the scientific literature and identify protocols and indicators for assessing the welfare of sheep. We identified promising protocols, well-known and established indicators, such as lameness or body condition score, as well as novel indicators that still need to be evaluated to prove their validity, such as pruritic behaviour or resting time. This review provides a starting point for the development of valid and feasible on-farm protocols using animal-based indicators to assess sheep welfare. Abstract The value society assigns to animal welfare in agricultural productions is increasing, resulting in ever-enhancing methods to assess the well-being of farm animals. The aim of this study was to review the scientific literature to obtain an overview of the current knowledge on welfare assessments for sheep and to extract animal-based welfare indicators as well as welfare protocols with animal-based indicators. By title and abstract screening, we identified five protocols and 53 potential indicators from 55 references. Three out of the five protocols include animal-based as well as resource-based indicators. All of them were assessed as being practicable on-farm but lacking reliability. Some of the single indicators are endorsed by the literature and widely used in the field like assessment of behaviour, lameness or body condition score. Others (e.g., Faffa Malan Chart FAMACHA©, dag score or pain assessment) are regularly mentioned in the literature, but their reliability and usefulness are still subject of discussion. Several indicators, such as pruritic behaviour, eye condition, lying time or tooth loss are relatively new in the literature and still lack evidence for their validity and usefulness. This literature review serves as a starting point for the development of valid and practicable welfare protocols for sheep.
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Measurement properties of grimace scales for pain assessment in non-human mammals: a systematic review. Pain 2021; 163:e697-e714. [PMID: 34510132 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Facial expressions of pain have been identified in several animal species. The aim of this systematic review was to provide evidence on the measurement properties of grimace scales for pain assessment. The protocol was registered (SyRF#21-Nov-2019) and the study is reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting the development, validation, and the assessment of measurement properties of grimace scales were included. Data extraction and assessment were performed by two investigators, following the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines. Six categories of measurement properties were assessed: internal consistency, reliability, measurement error, criterion and construct validity, and responsiveness. Overall strength of evidence (high, moderate, low) of each instrument was based on methodological quality, number of studies and studies' findings. Twelve scales for nine species were included (mice, rats, rabbits, horses, piglets, sheep/lamb, ferrets, cats and donkeys). Considerable variability regarding their development and measurement properties was observed. The Mouse, Rat, Horse and Feline Grimace Scales exhibited high level of evidence. The Rabbit, Lamb, Piglet and Ferret Grimace Scales and Sheep Pain Facial Expression Scale exhibited moderate level of evidence. The Sheep Grimace Scale, EQUUS-FAP and EQUUS-Donkey-FAP exhibited low level of evidence for measurement properties. Construct validity was the most reported measurement property. Reliability and other forms of validity have been understudied. This systematic review identified gaps in knowledge on the measurement properties of grimace scales. Further studies should focus on improving psychometric testing, instrument refinement and the use of grimace scales for pain assessment in non-human mammals.
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Neethirajan S. The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Assessing Affective States in Livestock. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:715261. [PMID: 34409091 PMCID: PMC8364945 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.715261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to promote the welfare of farm animals, there is a need to be able to recognize, register and monitor their affective states. Numerous studies show that just like humans, non-human animals are able to feel pain, fear and joy amongst other emotions, too. While behaviorally testing individual animals to identify positive or negative states is a time and labor consuming task to complete, artificial intelligence and machine learning open up a whole new field of science to automatize emotion recognition in production animals. By using sensors and monitoring indirect measures of changes in affective states, self-learning computational mechanisms will allow an effective categorization of emotions and consequently can help farmers to respond accordingly. Not only will this possibility be an efficient method to improve animal welfare, but early detection of stress and fear can also improve productivity and reduce the need for veterinary assistance on the farm. Whereas affective computing in human research has received increasing attention, the knowledge gained on human emotions is yet to be applied to non-human animals. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach should be taken to combine fields such as affective computing, bioengineering and applied ethology in order to address the current theoretical and practical obstacles that are yet to be overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh Neethirajan
- Farmworx, Animal Sciences Department, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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24
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Happy Cow or Thinking Pig? WUR Wolf—Facial Coding Platform for Measuring Emotions in Farm Animals. AI 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/ai2030021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotions play an indicative and informative role in the investigation of farm animal behaviors. Systems that respond and can measure emotions provide a natural user interface in enabling the digitalization of animal welfare platforms. The faces of farm animals can be one of the richest channels for expressing emotions. WUR Wolf (Wageningen University & Research: Wolf Mascot), a real-time facial recognition platform that can automatically code the emotions of farm animals, is presented in this study. The developed Python-based algorithms detect and track the facial features of cows and pigs, analyze the appearance, ear postures, and eye white regions, and correlate these with the mental/emotional states of the farm animals. The system is trained on a dataset of facial features of images of farm animals collected in over six farms and has been optimized to operate with an average accuracy of 85%. From these, the emotional states of animals in real time are determined. The software detects 13 facial actions and an inferred nine emotional states, including whether the animal is aggressive, calm, or neutral. A real-time emotion recognition system based on YoloV3, a Faster YoloV4-based facial detection platform and an ensemble Convolutional Neural Networks (RCNN) is presented. Detecting facial features of farm animals simultaneously in real time enables many new interfaces for automated decision-making tools for livestock farmers. Emotion sensing offers a vast potential for improving animal welfare and animal–human interactions.
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Pain Management in Farm Animals: Focus on Cattle, Sheep and Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11061483. [PMID: 34063847 PMCID: PMC8223984 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pain causes behavioral, autonomic and neuroendocrine changes and is a common cause of animal welfare compromise in farm animals. These recommendations focus on cattle, sheep, and pigs, and present the implications of unmanaged pain in terms of animal welfare and ethical perspectives, and its challenges and misconceptions. We provide an overview of pain management including assessment and treatment applied to the most common husbandry procedures, and recommendations to improve animal welfare in these species. Abstract Pain causes behavioral, autonomic, and neuroendocrine changes and is a common cause of animal welfare compromise in farm animals. Current societal and ethical concerns demand better agricultural practices and improved welfare for food animals. These guidelines focus on cattle, sheep, and pigs, and present the implications of pain in terms of animal welfare and ethical perspectives, and its challenges and misconceptions. We provide an overview of pain management including assessment and treatment applied to the most common husbandry procedures, and recommendations to improve animal welfare in these species. A cost-benefit analysis of pain mitigation is discussed for food animals as well as the use of pain scoring systems for pain assessment in these species. Several recommendations are provided related to husbandry practices that could mitigate pain and improve farm animal welfare. This includes pain assessment as one of the indicators of animal welfare, the use of artificial intelligence for automated methods and research, and the need for better/appropriate legislation, regulations, and recommendations for pain relief during routine and husbandry procedures.
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Tomacheuski RM, Monteiro BP, Evangelista MC, Luna SPL, Steagall PV. Measurement properties of pain scoring instruments in farm animals: A systematic review protocol using the COSMIN checklist. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251435. [PMID: 33989321 PMCID: PMC8121329 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Society has been increasingly concerned about the impact of pain on farm animal welfare. This systematic review aims to provide evidence relating to the measurement properties (i.e. reliability, validity, and sensitivity) of pain scoring instruments used for pain assessment in farm animals. A literature search will be performed using five databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CAB abstracts and Biological Abstracts) and search terms related to pain, pain scales and different species of farm animals. Eligibility criteria will include full-text studies on the development and/or validation of acute and chronic pain scoring instruments for farm animals including bovine (beef and dairy), ovine, caprine, camel, swine and poultry. Exclusion criteria will include studies that report the use of pain scales for the validation of another instrument, or those reporting ethograms/list of behaviors potentially indicating pain without a scoring system. Study titles and their abstracts will be screened for eligibility by one investigator. Full-text articles will be independently reviewed for eligibility and evaluated by two investigators. Relevant information will be recorded and evaluated systematically according to the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist using an adapted data collection sheet. The following measurement properties and characteristics of the instruments will be assessed: content validity (internal consistency, structural and cross-cultural validity), reliability, measurement error, criterion and construct validity, responsiveness, interpretability and feasibility. Following the assessment of methodological quality and quality of the findings, evidence for each measurement property will be summarized into high, moderate, low or very low. This systematic review will provide further insights into the evidence-based measurement properties of pain scoring instruments in farm animals. It may identify possible gaps of knowledge with these tools as a potential target for future studies in farm animals with a positive impact on animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubia Mitalli Tomacheuski
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical School (FMB) of São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Paglerani Monteiro
- Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Marina Cayetano Evangelista
- Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Stelio Pacca Loureiro Luna
- Department Veterinary Surgery and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Vinícius Steagall
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical School (FMB) of São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
- Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
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27
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Small A, Fisher AD, Lee C, Colditz I. Analgesia for Sheep in Commercial Production: Where to Next? Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11041127. [PMID: 33920025 PMCID: PMC8070992 DOI: 10.3390/ani11041127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Increasing societal and customer pressure to provide animals with ‘a life worth living’ continues to apply pressure on industry to alleviate pain associated with husbandry practices, injury and illness. Although a number of analgesic solutions are now available for sheep, providing some amelioration of the acute pain responses, this review has highlighted a number of potential areas for further research. Abstract Increasing societal and customer pressure to provide animals with ‘a life worth living’ continues to apply pressure on livestock production industries to alleviate pain associated with husbandry practices, injury and illness. Over the past 15–20 years, there has been considerable research effort to understand and develop mitigation strategies for painful husbandry procedures in sheep, leading to the successful launch of analgesic approaches specific to sheep in a number of countries. However, even with multi-modal approaches to analgesia, using both local anaesthetic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), pain is not obliterated, and the challenge of pain mitigation and phasing out of painful husbandry practices remains. It is timely to review and reflect on progress to date in order to strategically focus on the most important challenges, and the avenues which offer the greatest potential to be incorporated into industry practice in a process of continuous improvement. A structured, systematic literature search was carried out, incorporating peer-reviewed scientific literature in the period 2000–2019. An enormous volume of research is underway, testament to the fact that we have not solved the pain and analgesia challenge for any species, including our own. This review has highlighted a number of potential areas for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Small
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Locked Bag 1, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia; (C.L.); (I.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-2-6776-1435
| | - Andrew David Fisher
- Animal Welfare Science Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
| | - Caroline Lee
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Locked Bag 1, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia; (C.L.); (I.C.)
| | - Ian Colditz
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Locked Bag 1, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia; (C.L.); (I.C.)
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Ly LH, Weary DM. Facial expression in humans as a measure of empathy towards farm animals in pain. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247808. [PMID: 33647043 PMCID: PMC7920373 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
People often express concern for the welfare of farm animals, but research on this topic has relied upon self-report. Facial expressions provide a quantifiable measure of emotional response that may be less susceptible to social desirability bias and other issues associated with self-report. Viewing other humans in pain elicits facial expressions indicative of empathy. Here we provide the first evidence that this measure can also be used to assess human empathetic responses towards farm animals, showing that facial expressions respond reliably when participants view videos of farm animals undergoing painful procedures. Participants (n = 30) were asked to watch publicly sourced video clips of cows and pigs undergoing common management procedures (e.g. disbudding, castration, tail docking) and control videos (e.g. being lightly restrained, standing). Participants provided their subjective rating of the intensity of 5 negative emotions (pain, sadness, anger, fear, disgust) on an 11-point Likert scale. Videos of the participants (watching the animals) were scored for intensity of unpleasantness of the participants' facial expression (also on an 11-point Likert scale) by a trained observer who was blind to treatment. Participants showed more intense facial expressions while viewing painful procedures versus control procedures (mean ± SE Likert; 2.4 ± 0.08 versus 0.6 ± 0.17). Participants who reported more intense negative responses also showed stronger facial expressions (slope ± SE = 0.4 ± 0.04). Both the self-reported and facial measures varied with species and procedure witnessed. These results indicate that facial expressions can be used to assess human-animal empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lexis H. Ly
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Daniel M. Weary
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- * E-mail:
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29
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Yamada PH, Codognoto VM, de Ruediger FR, Trindade PHE, da Silva KM, Rizzoto G, Maestá SA, Ferreira JCP, de Soutello RVG, Oba E. Pain assessment based on facial expression of bulls during castration. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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30
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Viscardi AV, Reppert EJ, Kleinhenz MD, Wise P, Lin Z, Montgomery S, Daniell H, Curtis A, Martin M, Coetzee JF. Analgesic Comparison of Flunixin Meglumine or Meloxicam for Soft-Tissue Surgery in Sheep: A Pilot Study. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11020423. [PMID: 33562143 PMCID: PMC7914688 DOI: 10.3390/ani11020423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pain management is lacking in U.S. commercial sheep production systems. This is, in part, due to the limited amount of scientific data evaluating sheep pain responses after analgesia treatment. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as meloxicam (MEL) and flunixin meglumine (FLU), are the most common drug class provided to livestock species to manage pain. Pain assessment tools, such as facial grimace scales, which use changes in facial expression to monitor pain, are also needed to improve pain management and sheep welfare. In this study, sheep undergoing a laparotomy (a surgical procedure where an incision is made into the abdominal cavity) were treated with either MEL or FLU to manage pain. A third group of ewes did not undergo surgery and served as study controls (CON). Behavior and physiologic outcome measures were collected pre-procedure and up to 48 h post-procedure. The results suggest that MEL and FLU were equally effective at providing post-operative analgesia; however, even with NSAID administration, acute pain and inflammation were still present in surgical sheep compared to non-surgical controls. The facial grimace scale results were not consistent with the other outcome measures taken in this study and it should not be used as a stand-alone pain assessment tool. Abstract The amount of scientific data evaluating sheep pain responses after analgesia treatment is limited. The aims of this study were to compare the efficacy of flunixin meglumine (FLU) and meloxicam (MEL) at relieving post-surgical pain in sheep and to evaluate the utility of the Sheep Grimace Scale (SGS). Thirty ewes were assigned to one of three treatment groups: oral MEL or intravenous FLU to manage pain associated with a laparotomy procedure, or a non-surgical control (CON) group. Behavior and physiologic outcome measures were collected pre-procedure and up to 48 h post-procedure. There were no significant differences in behavior, gait, degree of inflammation or pain around the surgical site when MEL and FLU sheep were compared, suggesting that both drugs provided similar levels of analgesia. Significant differences in behavior, gait, abdominal inflammation and pain were found when surgical sheep were compared to non-surgical controls. More work is needed to characterize the amount of pain relief provided by MEL and FLU. The SGS had moderate reliability between scorers; however, the results were inconsistent with the other study outcome measures. The SGS may have some utility as a pain assessment tool but should be used in conjunction with other pain measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbie V. Viscardi
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (P.W.); (Z.L.); (S.M.); (A.C.); (M.M.); (J.F.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Emily J. Reppert
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (E.J.R.); (M.D.K.)
| | - Michael D. Kleinhenz
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (E.J.R.); (M.D.K.)
| | - Payton Wise
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (P.W.); (Z.L.); (S.M.); (A.C.); (M.M.); (J.F.C.)
| | - Zhoumeng Lin
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (P.W.); (Z.L.); (S.M.); (A.C.); (M.M.); (J.F.C.)
- Institute of Computational Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Shawnee Montgomery
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (P.W.); (Z.L.); (S.M.); (A.C.); (M.M.); (J.F.C.)
| | - Hayley Daniell
- Animal Sciences and Industry, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;
| | - Andrew Curtis
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (P.W.); (Z.L.); (S.M.); (A.C.); (M.M.); (J.F.C.)
| | - Miriam Martin
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (P.W.); (Z.L.); (S.M.); (A.C.); (M.M.); (J.F.C.)
| | - Johann F. Coetzee
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (P.W.); (Z.L.); (S.M.); (A.C.); (M.M.); (J.F.C.)
- Institute of Computational Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
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Neethirajan S, Reimert I, Kemp B. Measuring Farm Animal Emotions-Sensor-Based Approaches. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:E553. [PMID: 33466737 PMCID: PMC7830443 DOI: 10.3390/s21020553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding animal emotions is a key to unlocking methods for improving animal welfare. Currently there are no 'benchmarks' or any scientific assessments available for measuring and quantifying the emotional responses of farm animals. Using sensors to collect biometric data as a means of measuring animal emotions is a topic of growing interest in agricultural technology. Here we reviewed several aspects of the use of sensor-based approaches in monitoring animal emotions, beginning with an introduction on animal emotions. Then we reviewed some of the available technological systems for analyzing animal emotions. These systems include a variety of sensors, the algorithms used to process biometric data taken from these sensors, facial expression, and sound analysis. We conclude that a single emotional expression measurement based on either the facial feature of animals or the physiological functions cannot show accurately the farm animal's emotional changes, and hence compound expression recognition measurement is required. We propose some novel ways to combine sensor technologies through sensor fusion into efficient systems for monitoring and measuring the animals' compound expression of emotions. Finally, we explore future perspectives in the field, including challenges and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh Neethirajan
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands; (I.R.); (B.K.)
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32
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Navarro E, Mainau E, Manteca X. Development of a Facial Expression Scale Using Farrowing as a Model of Pain in Sows. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10112113. [PMID: 33202526 PMCID: PMC7696890 DOI: 10.3390/ani10112113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pain evaluation using non-invasive indicators can be difficult in production animals. Some years ago, a group of scientists realized that it was possible to evaluate pain by just considering animals’ facial expressions. All animals have their own facial expressions, and the animal’s expressiveness affects how difficult it is to find facial zones to evaluate pain. Until today, facial expressions have never been studied in sows. Our group decided to use farrowing (sow parturition) as a pain model to evaluate the sows’ facial expressions. Five different facial expression zones were found in our study: Tension above eyes, Snout angle, Neck tension, Temporal tension and ear position, and Cheek tension. The five zones were studied and evaluated by eight observers after a training session, obtaining good reliability results, especially on Tension above eyes, Snout angle, and Neck tension. These good results suggest that the sow facial expression scale could be a good non-invasive indicator to evaluate pain in sows. Abstract Changes in facial expression have been shown to be a useful tool to assess pain severity in humans and animals, but facial scales have not yet been developed for all species. A facial expression scale in sows was developed using farrowing as a pain model. Five potential facial zones were identified: (i) Tension above eyes, (ii) Snout angle, (iii) Neck tension, (iv) Temporal tension and ear position (v), and Cheek tension. Facial zones were examined through 263 images of a total of 21 sows at farrowing, characterizing moments of non-pain (19 days post-farrowing; score 0), moderate pain (time interval between the delivery of two consecutive piglets; score 1) and severe pain (during active piglet delivery; score 2). Images were evaluated by a “Silver Standard” observer with experience in sows’ facial expressions, and by a group of eight animal welfare scientists, without experience in it, but who received a one-hour training session on how to assess pain in sows’ faces. Intra- and inter-observer reliability of the facial expression ranged from moderate to very good for all facial expression zones, with Tension above eyes, Snout angle, and Neck tension showing the highest reliability. In conclusion, monitoring facial expressions seems to be a useful tool to assess pain caused by farrowing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Navarro
- Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
- Correspondence:
| | - Eva Mainau
- AWEC Advisors SL, Ed. Eureka, Parc de Recerca UAB, Bellaterra, 08290 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Xavier Manteca
- Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
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Hancock S, Inglis L, Laurence M, Miller D, Thompson A. Facial action units, activity and time spent with dam are effective measures of pain in response to mulesing of Merino lambs. Aust Vet J 2020; 99:61-65. [PMID: 33145759 DOI: 10.1111/avj.13038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Repeatable measures of pain in ruminants following husbandry procedures are required to validate responses to pain relief. This study tested the hypotheses that facial action units, activity and time spent with dam can be used to assess the efficacy of pain relief in lambs following mulesing. Merino lambs (n = 120) were allocated to one of six treatments implemented at mulesing: (1) lambs that were not mulesed or lambs that were mulesed and administered (2) no pain relief, (3) meloxicam 15 min before mulesing, (4) Tri-Solfen®, (5) a combination of meloxicam 15 min before mulesing and Tri-Solfen after mulesing and (6) meloxicam at mulesing. Facial action units detected a difference in pain between mulesed and non-mulesed lambs at 1 and 5 h post-mulesing (P = 0.005 and <0.001) but not at 26 h post-mulesing. Lambs that were not mulesed were more active and spent more time with their dams than mulesed lambs (P < 0.001). No differences were observed between lambs that were mulesed with or without pain relief. Therefore, facial action units, activity of the lamb and time spent with dam can detect pain in response to mulesing in Merino lambs but cannot detect any changes associated with pain relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Hancock
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Agricultural Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - L Inglis
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Agricultural Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - M Laurence
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Veterinary College, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - D Miller
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Agricultural Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - A Thompson
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Agricultural Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
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Grimace Scores: Tools to Support the Identification of Pain in Mammals Used in Research. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10101726. [PMID: 32977561 PMCID: PMC7598254 DOI: 10.3390/ani10101726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The 3Rs, Replacement, Reduction and Refinement, is a framework to ensure the ethical and justified use of animals in research. The implementation of refinements is required to alleviate and minimise the pain and suffering of animals in research. Public acceptability of animal use in research is contingent on satisfying ethical and legal obligations to provide pain relief along with humane endpoints. To fulfil this obligation, staff, researchers, veterinarians, and technicians must rapidly, accurately, efficiently and consistently identify, assess and act on signs of pain. This ability is paramount to uphold animal welfare, prevent undue suffering and mitigate possible negative impacts on research. Identification of pain may be based on indicators such as physiological, behavioural, or physical ones. Each has been used to develop different pain scoring systems with potential benefits and limitations in identifying and assessing pain. Grimace scores are a promising adjunctive behavioural technique in some mammalian species to identify and assess pain in research animals. The use of this method can be beneficial to animal welfare and research outcomes by identifying animals that may require alleviation of pain or humane intervention. This paper highlights the benefits, caveats, and potential applications of grimace scales.
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van Loon J, Verhaar N, van den Berg E, Ross S, de Grauw J. Objective Assessment of Acute Pain in Foals Using a Facial Expression-Based Pain Scale. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10091610. [PMID: 32927590 PMCID: PMC7552134 DOI: 10.3390/ani10091610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Research has shown that objective assessment of pain in horses can be performed by subjectively scoring facial expressions. So far, no studies have been conducted to develop a pain measuring tool for the assessment of pain in foals. In other species like pigs and sheep, facial expressions have been shown to be good indicators of pain in neonatal animals. In this study, a pain scale that is already available for mature horses (EQUUS-FAP: Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain) was adapted to measure different types of acute pain in neonatal and older foals with acute pain based on facial expressions. The scale was based on a pain scale that has been shown to be useful in mature horses with various types of acute pain (colic, orthopaedic, and head-related pain). This pain scale was tested in 20 patients with different types of acute pain (colic, laminitis, postoperative pain) and 39 healthy control animals. The authors found that the EQUUS-FAP FOAL (Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain in Foals) is a reproducible pain scale that can be used to assess pain in neonatal and older foals. Abstract Pain assessment is very important for monitoring welfare and quality of life in horses. To date, no studies have described pain scales for objective assessment of pain in foals. Studies in other species have shown that facial expression can be used in neonatal animals for objective assessment of acute pain. The aim of the current study was to adapt a facial expression-based pain scale for assessment of acute pain in mature horses for valid pain assessment in foals. The scale was applied to fifty-nine foals (20 patients and 39 healthy controls); animals were assessed from video recordings (30–60 s) by 3 observers, who were blinded for the condition of the animals. Patients were diagnosed with acute health problems by means of clinical examination and additional diagnostic procedures. EQUUS-FAP FOAL (Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain in Foals) showed good inter- and intra-observer reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.95 and 0.98, p < 0.001). Patients had significantly higher pain scores compared to controls (p < 0.001) and the pain scores decreased after treatment with NSAIDs (meloxicam or flunixin meglumine IV) (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that a facial expression-based pain scale could be useful for the assessment of acute pain in foals. Further studies are needed to validate this pain scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes van Loon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584CM Utrecht, The Netherlands;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-302531111
| | - Nicole Verhaar
- Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany;
| | | | - Sarah Ross
- Anglesey Lodge Hospital, The Curragh, Kildare R56 YX98, Ireland;
| | - Janny de Grauw
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584CM Utrecht, The Netherlands;
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Csoltova E, Mehinagic E. Where Do We Stand in the Domestic Dog ( Canis familiaris ) Positive-Emotion Assessment: A State-of-the-Art Review and Future Directions. Front Psychol 2020; 11:2131. [PMID: 33013543 PMCID: PMC7506079 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there have been a growing number of studies focusing on dog welfare, the research field concerning dog positive-emotion assessment remains mostly unexplored. This paper aims to provide a state-of-the-art review and summary of the scattered and disperse research on dog positive-emotion assessment. The review notably details the current advancement in dog positive-emotion research, what approaches, measures, methods, and techniques have been implemented so far in emotion perception, processing, and response assessment. Moreover, we propose possible future research directions for short-term emotion as well as longer-term emotional states assessment in dogs. The review ends by identifying and addressing some methodological limitations and by pointing out further methodological research needs.
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Sheil M, Polkinghorne A. Optimal Methods of Documenting Analgesic Efficacy in Neonatal Piglets Undergoing Castration. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1450. [PMID: 32825055 PMCID: PMC7552769 DOI: 10.3390/ani10091450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Analgesic products for piglet castration are critically needed. This requires extensive animal experimentation such as to meet regulatory-required proof of efficacy. At present, there are no validated methods of assessing pain in neonatal piglets. This poses challenges for investigators to optimize trial design and to meet ethical obligations to minimize the number of animals needed. Pain in neonatal piglets may be subtle, transient, and/or variably expressed and, in the absence of validated methods, investigators must rely on using a range of biochemical, physiological and behavioural variables, many of which appear to have very low (or unknown) sensitivity or specificity for documenting pain, or pain-relieving effects. A previous systematic review of this subject was hampered by the high degree of variability in the literature base both in terms of methods used to assess pain and pain mitigation, as well as in outcomes reported. In this setting we provide a narrative review to assist in determining the optimal methods currently available to detect piglet pain during castration and methods to mitigate castration-induced pain. In overview, the optimal outcome variables identified are nociceptive motor and vocal response scores during castration and quantitative sensory-threshold response testing and pain-associated behaviour scores following castration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith Sheil
- Animal Ethics Pty. Ltd., Yarra Glen, VIC 3775, Australia
| | - Adam Polkinghorne
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, NSW Health Pathology, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, NSW 2750, Australia;
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Nepean Clinical School, The University of Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Penrith, NSW 2750, Australia
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Mogil JS, Pang DSJ, Silva Dutra GG, Chambers CT. The development and use of facial grimace scales for pain measurement in animals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:480-493. [PMID: 32682741 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The measurement of pain in animals is surprisingly complex, and remains a critical issue in veterinary care and biomedical research. Based on the known utility of pain measurement via facial expression in verbal and especially non-verbal human populations, "grimace scales" were first developed a decade ago for use in rodents and now exist for 10 different mammalian species. This review details the background context, historical development, features (including duration), psychometric properties, modulatory factors, and impact of animal grimace scales for pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S Mogil
- Depts. of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Daniel S J Pang
- Veterinary Clinical and Diagnostic Services, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Gabrielle Guanaes Silva Dutra
- Depts. of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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González-Cano R, Montilla-García Á, Ruiz-Cantero MC, Bravo-Caparrós I, Tejada MÁ, Nieto FR, Cobos EJ. The search for translational pain outcomes to refine analgesic development: Where did we come from and where are we going? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:238-261. [PMID: 32147529 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Pain measures traditionally used in rodents record mere reflexes evoked by sensory stimuli; the results thus may not fully reflect the human pain phenotype. Alterations in physical and emotional functioning, pain-depressed behaviors and facial pain expressions were recently proposed as additional pain outcomes to provide a more accurate measure of clinical pain in rodents, and hence to potentially enhance analgesic drug development. We aimed to review how preclinical pain assessment has evolved since the development of the tail flick test in 1941, with a particular focus on a critical analysis of some nonstandard pain outcomes, and a consideration of how sex differences may affect the performance of these pain surrogates. We tracked original research articles in Medline for the following periods: 1973-1977, 1983-1987, 1993-1997, 2003-2007, and 2014-2018. We identified 606 research articles about alternative surrogate pain measures, 473 of which were published between 2014 and 2018. This indicates that preclinical pain assessment is moving toward the use of these measures, which may soon become standard procedures in preclinical pain laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael González-Cano
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain.
| | - Ángeles Montilla-García
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain.
| | - M Carmen Ruiz-Cantero
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain.
| | - Inmaculada Bravo-Caparrós
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain.
| | - Miguel Á Tejada
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain; IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Francisco R Nieto
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain.
| | - Enrique J Cobos
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain; Teófilo Hernando Institute for Drug Discovery, Madrid, Spain.
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Trindade PHE, Hartmann E, Keeling LJ, Andersen PH, Ferraz GDC, Paranhos da Costa MJR. Effect of work on body language of ranch horses in Brazil. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228130. [PMID: 31990951 PMCID: PMC6986720 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The horses’ responses to exercise are commonly monitored using physiological variables, nonetheless physical and mental states can also be expressed through body language. The aims of this study were: (i) to identify how facial expressions and other behavioural variables change in ranch horses after a routine workday, and (ii) to investigate if these changes can be used as indicators of physical tiredness by relating them to known variables of physical fitness and workload. Fourteen crossbred ranch horses were assessed pre- and post-workday on two farms, recording the body language, physiological and workload variables. Statistical analysis consisted of four stages: (i) comparisons between the sampling times (pre- vs post-workday) using linear mixed-effects models with repeated measures and a paired Wilcoxon test; (ii) selection of the most powerful variables by applying Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test and principal components analyses (PCA); (iii) evaluations of the relationships within these selected variables utilizing PCA and Spearman rank coefficients; and (iv) identifying a critical level of the most robust behavioural indicators using a non-hierarchical cluster analysis. Results showed that after a workday the horses increased the frequency/duration of body language indicative of resting. They also decreased the frequency/duration of body language indicative of attention and movements to avoid flies. However, some of these behaviours are also shown when horses are in pain, leading us to suggest that some ranch horses were probably experiencing a combination of of tiredness and slight soreness. Of particular interest, because of the ease with which it can be assessed on the farm and generalized to other situations, we suggest that the frequency of shifting weight between the forelegs has potential to be used as an indicator of physical tiredness in horses. The results can also be used in the development of tools to improve the welfare of ranch horses as well as horses used in other activities, although more research is needed to validate this assumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Henrique Esteves Trindade
- Graduate Program in Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, UNESP, São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil
- Department of Animal Science, Ethology and Animal Ecology Research Group (Grupo ETCO), Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, UNESP, São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil
| | - Elke Hartmann
- Departament of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Linda J. Keeling
- Departament of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pia Haubro Andersen
- Departament of Large Animal Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Guilherme de Camargo Ferraz
- Departament of Animal Morphology and Physiology, UNESP, São Paulo State University, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil
| | - Mateus José Rodrigues Paranhos da Costa
- Department of Animal Science, Ethology and Animal Ecology Research Group (Grupo ETCO), Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, UNESP, São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Facial expressions of pain in cats: the development and validation of a Feline Grimace Scale. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19128. [PMID: 31836868 PMCID: PMC6911058 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55693-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Grimace scales have been used for pain assessment in different species. This study aimed to develop and validate the Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) to detect naturally-occurring acute pain. Thirty-five client-owned and twenty control cats were video-recorded undisturbed in their cages in a prospective, case-control study. Painful cats received analgesic treatment and videos were repeated one hour later. Five action units (AU) were identified: ear position, orbital tightening, muzzle tension, whiskers change and head position. Four observers independently scored (0-2 for each AU) 110 images of control and painful cats. The FGS scores were higher in painful than in control cats; a very strong correlation with another validated instrument for pain assessment in cats was observed (rho = 0.86, p < 0.001) as well as good overall inter-rater reliability [ICC = 0.89 (95% CI: 0.85-0.92)], excellent intra-rater reliability (ICC > 0.91), and excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89). The FGS detected response to analgesic treatment (scores after analgesia were lower than before) and a cut-off score was determined (total pain score > 0.39 out of 1.0). The FGS is a valid and reliable tool for acute pain assessment in cats.
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42
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Ernst L, Kopaczka M, Schulz M, Talbot SR, Zieglowski L, Meyer M, Bruch S, Merhof D, Tolba RH. Improvement of the Mouse Grimace Scale set-up for implementing a semi-automated Mouse Grimace Scale scoring (Part 1). Lab Anim 2019; 54:83-91. [PMID: 31648592 DOI: 10.1177/0023677219881655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The Mouse Grimace Scale (MGS) has been widely used for the noninvasive examination of distress/pain in mice. The aim of this study was to further improve its performance to generate repeatable, faster, blinded and reliable results for developing automated and standardized pictures for MGS scoring and simultaneous evaluation of up to four animals. Videos of seven C57BL/6N mice were generated in an experiment to assess pain and stress induced by repeated intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). MGS scores were taken 1 h before and after the injection. Videotaping was performed for 10 min in special observation boxes. For manual selection, pictures of each mouse were randomly chosen for quality analysis and scored according six quality selection criteria (0 = no, 1 = moderate, 2 = full accordance); the maximum possible score was 12. Overall, 609 pictures from six videos were evaluated for MGS scoring quality; evaluation was performed by using the picture selection tool or by manual scoring. With manual scoring, 288 pictures (48.3% of all randomly generated pictures) were deemed scorable using MGS (mean score = 22.15 ± SD 6.3). To evaluate the algorithm, ratings from different rater groups (beginner, medium-level trained, professional) were compared with the automated image generated. These differences were not significant (p = 0.1091). This study demonstrates an improved set-up and a picture selection tool that can generate repeatable, not-observer biased and standardized pictures for MGS scoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Ernst
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Marcin Kopaczka
- Institute of Imaging & Computer Vision, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Mareike Schulz
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Steven R Talbot
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Central Animal Facility, Hannover, Germany
| | - L Zieglowski
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - M Meyer
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - S Bruch
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Dorit Merhof
- Institute of Imaging & Computer Vision, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Rene H Tolba
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
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Hagemeister K, Ernst L, Kadaba Srinivasan P, Tanaka H, Fukushima K, Tolba R. Severity assessment in pigs after partial liver resection: evaluation of a score sheet. Lab Anim 2019; 54:251-260. [DOI: 10.1177/0023677219871585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Severity assessment in biomedical research is required by the European authorities. Therefore, a variety of score sheets are available. The first score sheets were designed and introduced by Morton and Griffith (M&G) in 1985, to assess pain and distress in animals. Score sheets are an important part of the 3R principles to evaluate the degree of severity in different studies. Here, we used a modified score sheet from M&G for severity assessment of 12 Aachen minipigs after partial liver resection for safety testing of a novel synthetic sealant (VIVO-107). The control group was treated with the clinical standard fibrin. Estimation of recovery status of both groups was performed from the day of surgery to postoperative day 7 using a score sheet. Included parameters were blood loss during the surgical procedure, general state, spontaneous behaviour and clinical results. Values from 0 to 20 were graded for each category and resulted in the degree of strain (DS) from DS0 to DS4. An increasing DS indicated higher severity. Suitability of the implemented score sheet was evaluated. Higher score points were documented almost exclusively as an outcome of the clinical results, influenced mainly by increased temperature in the fibrin treated control group, whereas, spontaneous behaviour had only slight influence and general state had no influence. The average score seven days after surgery was <2. The laparotomy, where the partial liver resection is a part, is rated as moderate severity in the EU Directive 2010/63, while the assessment done in the present study hints to a mild severity of the model in our hands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Hagemeister
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Lisa Ernst
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Hirokazu Tanaka
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kenji Fukushima
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - René Tolba
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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McLennan KM, Miller AL, Dalla Costa E, Stucke D, Corke MJ, Broom DM, Leach MC. Conceptual and methodological issues relating to pain assessment in mammals: The development and utilisation of pain facial expression scales. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Schanz L, Krueger K, Hintze S. Sex and Age Don't Matter, but Breed Type Does-Factors Influencing Eye Wrinkle Expression in Horses. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:154. [PMID: 31192235 PMCID: PMC6549476 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying valid indicators to assess animals' emotional states is a critical objective of animal welfare science. In horses, eye wrinkles above the eyeball have been shown to be affected by pain and other emotional states. From other species we know that individual characteristics, e.g., age in humans, affect facial wrinkles, but it has not yet been investigated whether eye wrinkle expression in horses is systematically affected by such characteristics. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess how age, sex, breed type, body condition, and coat colour affect the expression and/or the assessment of eye wrinkles in horses. To this end, we adapted the eye wrinkle assessment scale from Hintze et al. (1) and assessed eye wrinkle expression in pictures taken from the left and the right eye of 181 horses in a presumably neutral situation, using five outcome measures: a qualitative first impression reflecting how worried the horse is perceived by humans, the extent to which the brow is raised, the number of wrinkles, their markedness and the angle between a line through both corners of the eye and the topmost wrinkle. All measures could be assessed highly reliable with respect to intra- and inter-observer agreement. Breed type affected the width of the angle [F (2,114) = 8.20, p < 0.001], with thoroughbreds having the narrowest angle (M = 23.80, SD = 1.60), followed by warmbloods (M = 28.00, SD = 0.60), and coldbloods (M = 31.00, SD = 0.90). None of the other characteristics affected any of the outcome measures, and eye wrinkle expression did not differ between the left and the right eye area (all p-values > 0.05). In conclusion, horses' eye wrinkle expression and its assessment in neutral situations was not systematically affected by the investigated characteristics, except for "breed type", which accounted for some variation in "angle"; how much eye wrinkle expression is affected by emotion or perhaps mood needs further investigation and validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Schanz
- Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Equine Economics, Nuertingen-Geislingen University of Applied Sciences, Nürtingen, Germany
| | - Konstanze Krueger
- Department of Equine Economics, Nuertingen-Geislingen University of Applied Sciences, Nürtingen, Germany
- Biology I, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sara Hintze
- Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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Hötzel MJ, Vieira MC, Leme DP. Exploring horse owners' and caretakers' perceptions of emotions and associated behaviors in horses. J Vet Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Viscardi AV, Turner PV. Use of Meloxicam or Ketoprofen for Piglet Pain Control Following Surgical Castration. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:299. [PMID: 30534552 PMCID: PMC6275193 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Surgical castration of piglets is performed routinely on commercial pig farms, to prevent boar taint and minimize aggression. While this procedure is known to be painful, piglets are generally not provided any analgesic for pain relief, leading to welfare concerns. The objectives of this study were to assess the efficacy of two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), meloxicam (MEL) (0.4 mg/kg or 1.0 mg/kg) and ketoprofen (KET) (6.0 mg/kg) in reducing behavioral indicators of pain in castrated piglets. This study also examined the utility of the Piglet Grimace Scale (PGS) as a pain assessment tool. Nineteen litters of 5-days-old male piglets (n = 120) were used and piglets within a litter were randomly assigned to one of eight possible treatments: 0.4 mg/kg MEL-castrated or uncastrated, 1.0 mg/kg MEL-castrated or uncastrated, 6.0 mg/kg KET-castrated or uncastrated, saline (castrated control), or sham (uncastrated control). Treatments were administered intramuscularly (IM) 20 min prior to surgical castration. Piglets were video recorded for 1 h pre-procedure, for 8 h immediately post-castration and for another hour, 24 h post-procedure. Twenty-one behaviors and postures were scored continuously for the first 15 min of each hour and 1,156 still images of piglet faces were collected and scored using the PGS. Within each treatment group post-castration, castrated piglets displayed significantly more pain-related behaviors than uncastrated piglets (0.4 mg/kg MEL: p = 0.0339, 1.0 mg/kg MEL: p = 0.0079, 6.0 mg/kg KET: p = 0.0034, Controls: p < 0.0001). Castrated piglets also grimaced significantly more post-procedure than uncastrated piglets (p = 0.0061). Compared to the castrated control, none of the NSAID treatments significantly reduced piglet pain behaviors (0.4 mg/kg MEL: p = 1.0000, 1.0 mg/kg MEL: p = 0.9995, 6.0 mg/kg KET: p = 0.4163) or facial grimacing. Piglets demonstrated significantly more pain behaviors 24 h post-castration than at all other time points (p < 0.0001). The PGS was a less effective measure to detect acute pain; however, our findings suggest it does have utility as a pain assessment tool in neonatal pigs. Our findings also indicate that the use of these NSAIDs were ineffective at alleviating castration-associated pain in piglets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbie V. Viscardi
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Viscardi AV, Turner PV. Efficacy of buprenorphine for management of surgical castration pain in piglets. BMC Vet Res 2018; 14:318. [PMID: 30352586 PMCID: PMC6199726 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-018-1643-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Surgical castration is a painful procedure, performed routinely on commercial pig farms to prevent boar taint and reduce aggression. The objectives of this study were to assess the efficacy of 0.04 mg/kg buprenorphine (BUP) in reducing pain in castrated piglets, using behavioral indicators and vocalization analysis. This study also sought to further validate the Piglet Grimace Scale (PGS) as a pain assessment tool. A pilot study first assessed the safety of BUP or 0.2 mg/kg butorphanol administration to piglets (n = 4 per treatment). When no side effects were noted with BUP, ten litters of 5-day old piglets (n = 60 total, 15 per treatment group) were used, and randomly assigned to one of four possible treatments: BUP (castrated or uncastrated), saline, or sham. Treatments were administered as an intramuscular injection 20 min prior to surgical castration. Piglets were video recorded 1 h pre-procedure, post-castration for 8 h and for another hour, 24 h post-procedure. Behaviors were scored continuously for the first 15 min of each hour and 511 still-images of piglet faces were scored using the PGS. Vocalizations were recorded from each piglet at three points in the study: at initial handling, injection, and castration. Results Butorphanol caused some piglets to become groggy and vomit and was not further evaluated. BUP-castrated piglets demonstrated significantly fewer pain behaviors and less facial grimacing compared to saline-treated pigs (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0073, respectively). There was no difference between the pain behaviours displayed by BUP-castrated piglets compared to BUP-uncastrated and sham piglets (P = 0.9986 and P = 0.7484). There was also no difference in PGS score between BUP-castrated and BUP-uncastrated piglets (P = 0.9376). Piglets in the BUP-castrated group produced vocalizations of similar frequency, amplitude, power, and energy to saline-treated piglets. Conclusions Buprenorphine was highly effective in alleviating castration-associated pain behaviors and facial grimacing in piglets, without causing any obvious side effects. Its administration did not reduce piglet vocalizations at the time of castration. The PGS corresponded well to piglet pain behaviors and has utility as a pain assessment tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbie V Viscardi
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Patricia V Turner
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
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Tuttle AH, Molinaro MJ, Jethwa JF, Sotocinal SG, Prieto JC, Styner MA, Mogil JS, Zylka MJ. A deep neural network to assess spontaneous pain from mouse facial expressions. Mol Pain 2018; 14:1744806918763658. [PMID: 29546805 PMCID: PMC5858615 DOI: 10.1177/1744806918763658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Grimace scales quantify characteristic facial expressions associated with spontaneous pain in rodents and other mammals. However, these scales have not been widely adopted largely because of the time and effort required for highly trained humans to manually score the images. Convoluted neural networks were recently developed that distinguish individual humans and objects in images. Here, we trained one of these networks, the InceptionV3 convolutional neural net, with a large set of human-scored mouse images. Output consists of a binary pain/no-pain assessment and a confidence score. Our automated Mouse Grimace Scale integrates these two outputs and is highly accurate (94%) at assessing the presence of pain in mice across different experimental assays. In addition, we used a novel set of “pain” and “no pain” images to show that automated Mouse Grimace Scale scores are highly correlated with human scores (Pearson’s r = 0.75). Moreover, the automated Mouse Grimace Scale classified a greater proportion of images as “pain” following laparotomy surgery when compared to animals receiving a sham surgery or a post-surgical analgesic. Together, these findings suggest that the automated Mouse Grimace Scale can eliminate the need for tedious human scoring of images and provide an objective and rapid way to quantify spontaneous pain and pain relief in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander H Tuttle
- 1 Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mark J Molinaro
- 1 Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jasmine F Jethwa
- 1 Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Susana G Sotocinal
- 2 Department of Psychology, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Juan C Prieto
- 3 Department of Psychiatry, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Martin A Styner
- 3 Department of Psychiatry, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Mogil
- 2 Department of Psychology, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mark J Zylka
- 1 Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Lansade L, Nowak R, Lainé AL, Leterrier C, Bonneau C, Parias C, Bertin A. Facial expression and oxytocin as possible markers of positive emotions in horses. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14680. [PMID: 30279565 PMCID: PMC6168541 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32993-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioural and physiological markers of discrete positive emotions remain little investigated in animals. To characterise new markers in horses, we used tactile stimulations to induce emotional situation of contrasting valence. In the Gentle grooming group (G, N = 13) horses were gently groomed during 11 sessions on the body areas they appreciated the most. Horses in the Standard grooming group (S, N = 14) were groomed using a fixed procedure, reported to induce avoidance reactions in some horses. At session 11, G horses expressed significantly more contact-seeking behaviours than S horses, which expressed significantly more avoidance behaviours. This result suggests positive emotions in G horses and negative emotions in S horses. Blood cortisol, oxytocin, heart rate and heart rate variability never differed between before and after the grooming session. However, after the 11 sessions, basal oxytocin levels were lower in the G than in the S group. This difference was unexpected, but supports studies showing that a low level of basal oxytocin could be a marker of better well-being. Analyses of facial expressions during grooming revealed significant differences between groups. These expressions appear to be more sensitive than behavioural indicators because they alone enabled differentiating emotions according to the group when horses were re-exposed to neutral grooming one year after the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Lansade
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
| | - Raymond Nowak
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Anne-Lyse Lainé
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | | | - Coralie Bonneau
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Céline Parias
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Aline Bertin
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, University Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
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