But people are not always able to interpret correctly the signs
of pain displayed by horses and donkeys. After all, having evolved as prey
animals, it is in their interest not to show signs of pain that might bring
them to the attention of a predator looking for its next meal.
Dr Thijs van Loon and colleagues at the faculty of
veterinary medicine of Utrecht University have been researching pain
recognition in horses. Their work resulted in the development of composite pain
scales that the researchers showed could be used to accurately measure pain in
horses as well as donkeys.
Such scales generally comprise several indicators, including
behavoural parameters (such as lying down, rolling and scratching),
physiological variables, (heart rate and respiratory rate), and facial
expressions, (positioning and movement of the ears, nostrils, eyelids, and mouth).
These signs are particularly useful for detecting pain or
discomfort in patients suffering from colic, facial or orthopaedic pain.
Assessment methods developed in the studies have now been
distilled into an App, the Equine Pain and Welfare App (EPWA), which provides a
reliable way to recognise pain and calculate a pain score.
The App guides the user through a two-minute pain assessment
based on facial expressions or a five-minute assessment of body language. Users
are advised to contact a veterinarian for horses scoring above five on a scale
of 0 to 18.
The scores can be stored on the App, allowing users to monitor
changes to a horse's welfare over time.
Other features of the App include a diary where you can keep
track of how much your horse eats, the amount of exercise he does and any
medication he has.
There is also a handy check of whether your horse is showing
signs compatible with PPID (Cushings disease).
The research team say that the current version of EPWA has
been downloaded thousands of times already and is helping owners to recognise
pain and discomfort in their horses and donkeys, thereby improving their health
and welfare.
They are now working to develop a version specifically aimed
at working donkeys in rural communities and developing countries. The Working
Equine Pain and Welfare App ('W-EPWA') will be provided free of charge in order
to encourage its widespread use and improve the health and welfare of horses
and donkeys worldwide.
EPWA is a joint initiative of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
at Utrecht University and Stichting de Paardenkamp. It is available (free) from
the usual app stores.
For more details, see:
2 comments:
I'd love to get this, but can't see if its available in English.
Does anyone know?
Yes it is. English and Dutch.
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