Studies were primarily related to the assessment of pain in relation to surgical procedures , and no clear distinction was made concerning the onset of acute and chronic pain .
The metrics used within the tools appeared to focus primarily on the sensory aspect of pain , with no study clearly discriminating between the sensory and affective components of pain .
Objectives The objectives were to review systematic ally the range of assessment tools used in cats to detect the behavioural expression of pain and the evidence of their quality ; and to examine behavioural metrics ( considering both the sensory and affective domains ) used to assess pain .
Evaluation of short-term limb function following unilateral carbon dioxide laser or scalpel onychectomy in cats.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate short-term postoperative forelimb function after scalpel and laser onychectomy  in cats . DESIGN R and omized , prospect i ve study . ANIMALS 20 healthy adult cats . PROCEDURES Cats were r and omly assigned to the  laser ( n = 10 ) or scalpel ( 10 ) onychectomy group . Unilateral left forelimb onychectomy was performed . In the scalpel group , a tourniquet was used during surgery and a b and age was applied after surgery .  Pressure platform gait analysis was performed prior to and 1 , 2 , 3 , and 12 days after onychectomy .  Peak vertical force ( PVF ) , vertical impulse , and the ratio of the PVF of the left forelimb to the sum of the remaining limbs ( PVF ratio ) were used as outcome measures . RESULTS The laser onychectomy group had significantly higher ground reaction forces on days 1 and 2 and significantly higher PVF ratio on day 12 , compared with the scalpel group . Similarly , significant differences were found in change in ground reaction forces on days 1 and 2 and the PVF ratio on day 12 , compared with day -1 . No cats required rescue analgesia during the course of the study . One cat in the laser group had signs of depression and was reluctant to walk on day 2 after surgery , had physical examination findings consistent with cardiac insufficiency , and was euthanized . CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Cats had improved limb function immediately after unilateral laser onychectomy , compared with onychectomy with a scalpel , tourniquet , and b and age . This improved limb function may result from decreased pain during the 48 hours following unilateral laser onychectomy
Studies were primarily related to the assessment of pain in relation to surgical procedures , and no clear distinction was made concerning the onset of acute and chronic pain .
The metrics used within the tools appeared to focus primarily on the sensory aspect of pain , with no study clearly discriminating between the sensory and affective components of pain .
Objectives The objectives were to review systematic ally the range of assessment tools used in cats to detect the behavioural expression of pain and the evidence of their quality ; and to examine behavioural metrics ( considering both the sensory and affective domains ) used to assess pain .