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Horse Grimace Scale Does Not Detect Pain in Horses with Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Horse Grimace Scale Does Not Detect Pain in Horses with Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome

Gustavo Ferlini Agne, Bridget Eileen May, Amy Lovett, Olivier Simon, Catherine Steel, Luiz Santos, Laize Guedes do Carmo, Bianca Barbosa, Lais Cristine Werner, Ruan R. Daros, …
Animals (Basel), Vol.13(10), 1623
12/05/2023
PMID: 37238054
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Abstract

horse grimace scale grimace pain behaviours pain scale horse welfare equine gastric ulcer squamous gastric disease glandular gastric disease
Stomach ulcers (known as equine gastric ulcer syndrome [EGUS]) are a common finding in horses However, the amount of pain horses with EGUS might experience is currently unknown and this knowledge could allow for better clinical decision making and improved horse welfare. The study aim was to assess the use of a pain scale score system, the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS), in horses suffering from EGUS. Facial photographs for HGS evaluation were taken of all horses. Gastroscopy is the gold standard procedure for diagnosis of EGUS, and involves examining the stomach with a video-endoscope. Horses (n = 61) were divided into groups based on the presence and severity of EGUS as determined via gastroscopy. Horses with concurrent lameness or other signs of illness were excluded. Comparisons were made of the HGS between horses, with and without gastric lesions. This is the first study investigating the use of the HGS in horses with and without EGUS. The HGS scores were not influenced by the presence or severity of EGUS and no significant differences were noted between groups. Further studies investigating the use of different pain scales in horses with EGUS are needed.

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