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 .
Relationship of orthopedic examination, goniometric measurements, and radiographic signs of degenerative joint disease in cats
Background Available information suggests a mismatch between radiographic and orthopedic examination findings in cats with DJD . However , the extent of the discrepancy between clinical and radiographic signs of OA in companion animals has not been described in detail . This study aim ed to evaluate the relationship between orthopedic examination findings , joint goniometry  , and radiographic signs of DJD in 100 cats , in a prospect i ve observational design . Cat temperament , pain response to palpation , joint crepitus , effusion and thickening were grade d. Radiographs of appendicular joints and the axial skeleton were made under sedation . Joint motion was measured by use of a plastic goniometer before and after sedation . Associations between radiographic degenerative joint disease ( DJD ) and examination findings were assessed to determine sensitivity , specificity and likelihood estimations . Results Pain response to palpation was elicited in 0 - 67 % of the joints with DJD , with a specificity ranging from 62 - 99 % ; crepitus was detected in 0 - 56 % of the joints and its specificity varied between 87 and 99 % ; for effusion , values ranged between 6 and 38 % ( specificity , 82 - 100 % ) , and thickening , 0 - 59 % ( specificity , 74 - 99 % ) . Joints with DJD tended to have a decreased range of motion . The presence of pain increased the odds of having DJD in the elbow ( right : 5.5 ; left : 4.5 ) ; the presence of pain in the lower back increased the odds of spinal DJD being present ( 2.97 for lumbar ; 4.67 for lumbo-sacral ) . Conclusions Radiographic DJD can not be diagnosed with certainty using palpation or goniometry . However , negative findings tend to predict radiographically normal joints . Palpation and goniometry may be used as a tool to help to screen cats , mostly to rule out DJD
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 .