Assessing practical markers for their suitability in estimating the pain experienced by horses with laminitis

Abstract

The assessment of pain experienced by horses is complex, often inaccurate, and varies widely among practitioners. During laminitis it is supposed that horses suffer severely from pain. It would be ideal if there were an accurate, reliable and sensitive method of assessing this pain as the condition progresses, and as treatment is applied, to improve the condition of the horse. This work considers various parameters and their suitability as markers to assess the pain experienced by horses undergoing treatment for laminitis. Fourteen horses were assessed during their treatment period. Heart rate, respiration rate and hoof temperature were all significantly correlated with the Obel grading score for lameness. Other parameters, including body temperature, digital pulse and behavioural attitude were not. The horses improved their lameness grade over the period of the trial. It is concluded that the use of the simple practical measures described may be usefully applied by owners and practitioners as markers to estimate the pain suffered by horses under their care.