Effects of stress on pain in horses and incorporating pain scales for equine practice.
The stress response represents an animal's attempt to reestablish the body's homeostasis after injury, intense physical activity, or psychological strain. Two different neuroendocrine pathways may be activated in stressful situations: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, leading to increased cortisol levels, and the sympathoadrenomedullar system, leading to increased catecholamine levels. By applying some of the evaluation methods described in this article in the appropriate clinical situations, equine veterinarians can almost certainly improve their ability to recognize and manage pain in horses.
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. aewagner@colostate.edu
Ann E
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Wagner
D000818:Animals; D005149:Facial Expression; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006736:Horses; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013315:Stress, Psychological