Clinical Metrology Instruments

Assessing Chronic Pain In Dogs

Summary:

“Finding precise, reliable, and accurate measures of chronic pain in animals is a difficult effort. However, much research has gone into developing measurement methods to evaluate chronic pain in dogs (and, more recently, cats); this article reviews the pain scales currently available.”

Conclusion:

Details in linked article reviews the following pain scales: Helsinki Chronic Pain Index, Canine Brief Pain Index, Cincinnati Orthopedic Disability Index, Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs.

Author & Journal:Epstein, Mark E., Today’s Veterinary Practice, 2013

Canine Orthopedic Outcome Measures Program: Where Are We Now?

Summary:

The overall goal of COMP was to advance veterinary orthopedic patient care by providing and supporting mechanisms for all clinicians, researchers, industry partners, and regulatory bodies to produce, assess, and implement the highest evidentiary value data for evaluation of safety and efficacy of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. At project initiation, we estimated that it would take more than 1 million dollars to recruit key personnel, design appropriate studies, produce data, and create, validate and implement the instruments(s). After 6 years of intensive work in all of these areas, a tremendous amount of progress has been made. This editorial summarizes the COMP’s efforts and results, and suggests a way forward to our ultimate goal of optimal patient-centered, evidence based care in veterinary orthopedics.”

Conclusion:

“The good news is that we now have a number of excellent options for effectively measuring outcomes in clinical and translational studies in dogs. The bad news is that we now have a number of different options to sort through to determine what is optimal for each study. So what should you do?” Click the link for the full article and listed solutions from the author.

Author & Journal:Cook, James L., Veterinary Surgery, 2014

Psychometric testing of the Helsinki chronic pain index by completion of a questionnaire in Finnish by owners of dogs with chronic signs of pain caused by osteoarthritis

Summary:

“To determine the validity, reliability, and sensitivity of a published chronic pain index by completion of a questionnaire in Finnish by owners of dogs with chronic signs of pain caused by osteoarthritis.”

Conclusion:

“The Finnish version of the HCPI provided a valid, reliable, and responsive tool for assessment of response to treatment in dogs with osteoarthritis.”

Author & Journal:Hielm-Björkman, Anna K., et al, American Journal of Veterinary Research, 2009

Evaluation of Construct and Criterion Validity for the ‘Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs’ (LOAD) Clinical Metrology Instrument and Comparison to Two Other Instruments

Summary:

“To test the ‘Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs’ (LOAD) questionnaire for construct and criterion validity, and to similarly test the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (HCPI) and the Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI).”

Conclusion:

“LOAD is an owner-completed clinical metrology instrument that can be recommended for the measurement of canine osteoarthritis. It is convenient to use, validated and, as demonstrated here for the first time, has a correlation with force-platform data.”

Author & Journal:Walton, Myles Benjamin, et al, PLoS One, 2013