Abstract
Simple SummaryPain can be difficult to objectively assess in animals, especially in prey animals that hide their symptoms from others. Donkeys are also known to mask and hide these signs. Owners often describe donkeys as “stubborn”, but veterinarians and equine ethologists describe donkeys more as “stoic”. Among veterinarians it is known that donkeys hide their pain symptoms even more than horses. Therefore, objective and valid pain measurement tools are needed to assess pain in donkeys. In this study, two pain scales (with behavioural elements, physiological elements, responses to interactions, and facial expressions) have been developed and tested in 79 donkeys with various types of acute pain (acute lameness, colic, head-related pain, and postoperative pain) and in 185 healthy pain-free control donkeys. The authors found that the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Donkey Composite Pain Assessment (EQUUS-DONKEY-COMPASS) and the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Donkey Facial Assessment of Pain (EQUUS-DONKEY-FAP) can both be effective to objectively assess various types of acute pain in donkeys and could potentially be used to monitor pain and improve welfare in donkeys.Objective pain assessment in donkeys is of vital importance for improving welfare in a species that is considered stoic. This study presents the construction and testing of two pain scales, the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Donkey Composite Pain Assessment (EQUUS-DONKEY-COMPASS) and the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Donkey Facial Assessment of Pain (EQUUS-DONKEY-FAP), in donkeys with acute pain. A cohort follow-up study using 264 adult donkeys (n = 12 acute colic, n = 25 acute orthopaedic pain, n = 18 acute head-related pain, n = 24 postoperative pain, and n = 185 controls) was performed. Both pain scales showed differences between donkeys with different types of pain and their control animals (p < 0.001). The EQUUS-DONKEY-COMPASS and EQUUS-DONKEY-FAP showed high inter-observer reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.97 and 0.94, respectively, both p < 0.001). Sensitivity of the EQUUS-DONKEY-COMPASS was good for colic and orthopaedic pain (83% and 88%, respectively), but poor for head-related and postoperative pain (17% and 21%, respectively). Sensitivity of the EQUUS-DONKEY-FAP was good for colic and head-related pain (75% and 78%, respectively), but moderate for orthopaedic and postoperative pain (40% and 50%, respectively). Specificity was good for all types of pain with both scales (91%–99%). Different types of acute pain in donkeys can be validly assessed by either a composite or a facial expression-based pain scale.
Highlights
The importance of objective pain assessment in horses and donkeys was reported by Asley, et al (2005) [1] and Robertson (2006) [2] over a decade ago
Because the procedures used in this study only consist of behavioural observations and physiologic assessments that are routinely taken in the clinical setting and are deemed not likely to cause pain, suffering, or distress or lasting harm equivalent to, or higher than, that caused by the introduction of a needle, ethical approval was granted without a formal application and no official approval number was given
Seventy-nine donkeys presenting with acute pain that were observed between 2016 and 2018 were enrolled in this study (Table 1)
Summary
The importance of objective pain assessment in horses and donkeys was reported by Asley, et al (2005) [1] and Robertson (2006) [2] over a decade ago. Numerous scientific studies have appeared focusing on (acute) pain assessment in horses. Several reviews [3,4,5] have recently appeared, providing an overview of all the studies on equine pain scoring. To date, no studies have described the construction and validation of pain scales for donkeys. This is a major challenge in clinical practice, as in many situations donkeys do not express such obvious pain signs as horses. Reliable and objective pain assessment in donkeys, especially in the field, would be a major step forward enabling early intervention and effective monitoring of response, thereby improving donkey welfare
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