Validation of the Unesp-Botucatu pig composite acute pain scale (UPAPS) in piglets undergoing castration.

ABSTRACT: To accurately assess pain and support broadly-based analgesic protocols to mitigate swine pain, it is imperative to develop and validate a species-specific pain scale. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical validity and reliability of an acute pain scale (UPAPS) adapted for newborn piglets undergoing castration. Thirty-nine male piglets (five days of age, 1.62 ± 0.23 kg BW) served as their own control, were enrolled in the study and underwent castration in conjunction with an injectable analgesic administered one-hour post-castration (flunixin meglumine 2.2 mg/kg IM). An additional 10, non-painful female piglets were included to account for the effect of natural behavioral variation by day on pain scale results. Behavior of each piglet was video recorded continuously a

SUBMITTER: Robles I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10101451 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature