Journal
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
Volume 9, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55693-8
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Funding
- Zoetis
- Fonds en sante des animaux de compagnie (FSAC), Faculte de medecine veterinaire, Universite de Montreal
- International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management fellowship
- Merit scholarship program for foreign students of the Ministere de l'Education et de l'Enseignement Superieur du Quebec
- Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship
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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 (Cron bach'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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