ArticlePeerJ2020
Clinical applicability of the Feline Grimace Scale: real-time versus image scoring and the influence of sedation and surgery.
Article in PeerJ, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers.
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Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed.
- The effects of observer gender on feline acute pain assessment using three pain scoring instruments.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- A systematic review of acute pain scoring instruments and their measurement properties in cats and dogs.Journal of veterinary internal medicine · 2026Article
- Challenges using the Feline Grimace Scale in brachycephalic cats with ocular pain.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2026Article
- Agreement of Feline Grimace Scale scores between chatbots and an expert rater.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Characterization of pain behaviors in kittens following ovariohysterectomy using video assessment.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- How facial expressions reveal acute pain in domestic animals with facial pain scales as a diagnostic tool.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2025Review
- Clinical validation of the Unesp-Botucatu acute pain scale in sheep undergoing orthopedic surgery.PloS one · 2025Article
- Liposomal bupivacaine as one component of the postoperative management of limb amputations in cats: a retrospective study.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2025Article
- Automated video-based pain recognition in cats using facial landmarks.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Computational investigation of the social function of domestic cat facial signals.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Effects of training on Feline Grimace Scale scoring for acute pain assessment in cats.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2024Article
- Video-based compilation of acute pain behaviours in cats.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2024Article
- The grimace scale: a useful tool for assessing pain in laboratory animals.Experimental animals · 2024Review
- Real-time and video-recorded pain assessment in beef cattle: clinical application and reliability in young, adult bulls undergoing surgical castration.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Evaluation of the analgesic efficacy of grapiprant compared with robenacoxib in cats undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy in a prospective, randomized, masked, non-inferiority clinical trial.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2024Article
- Comparison between Bilateral Ultrasound-Guided Quadratus Lumborum Block and Sacrococcygeal Epidural in Cats Undergoing Ovariectomy.Veterinary sciences · 2024Article
- Less experienced observers assess piglet castration-induced acute pain differently than experienced observers: A pilot study.PloS one · 2024Article
- Fully automated deep learning models with smartphone applicability for prediction of pain using the Feline Grimace Scale.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Construct validity, responsiveness and reliability of the Feline Grimace Scale in kittens.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2023Article
- Effects of assessment method (real-time versus video-recorded) on a validated pain-altered behavior scale used in castrated piglets.Scientific reports · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) is a facial expression-based scoring system for acute pain assessment in cats with reported validity using image assessment. The aims of this study were to investigate the clinical applicability of the FGS in real-time when compared with image assessment, and to evaluate the influence of sedation and surgery on FGS scores in cats.
methodsSixty-five female cats (age: 1.37 ± 0.9 years and body weight: 2.85 ± 0.76 kg) were included in a prospective, randomized, clinical trial. Cats were sedated with intramuscular acepromazine and buprenorphine. Following induction with propofol, anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane and cats underwent ovariohysterectomy (OVH). Pain was evaluated at baseline, 15 min after sedation, and at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 h after extubation using the FGS in real-time (FGS-RT). Cats were video-recorded simultaneously at baseline, 15 min after sedation, and at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after extubation for subsequent image assessment (FGS-IMG), which was performed six months later by the same observer. The agreement between FGS-RT and FGS-IMG scores was calculated using the Bland & Altman method for repeated measures. The effects of sedation (baseline versus 15 min) and OVH (baseline versus 24 h) were assessed using linear mixed models. Responsiveness to the administration of rescue analgesia (FGS scores before versus one hour after) was assessed using paired
resultsMinimal bias (-0.057) and narrow limits of agreement (-0.351 to 0.237) were observed between the FGS-IMG and FGS-RT. Scores at baseline (FGS-RT: 0.16 ± 0.13 and FGS-IMG: 0.14 ± 0.13) were not different after sedation (FGS-RT: 0.2 ± 0.15,
conclusionsReal-time assessment slightly overestimates image scoring; however, with minimal clinical impact. Sedation with acepromazine-buprenorphine and ovariohysterectomy using a balanced anesthetic protocol did not influence the FGS scores. Responsiveness to analgesic administration was observed with both the FGS-RT and FGS-IMG.
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