Pain and quality of life in animals

• Grant number: 17/12815-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2018
• End date: January 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Stelio Pacca Loureiro Luna
• Grantee: Stelio Pacca Loureiro Luna
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Botucatu
• Associated researchers: Adriano Bonfim Carregaro ; Ana Liz Garcia Alves ; Norberto Peporine Lopes
• Associated research grant(s): 24/08839-4 - Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists Autumn Meeting 2024, AR.EXT; 18/09446-5 - Multi-user equipment approved in grant 2017/12815-0: Raio-X ATAL-9 Wi-Fi + Emissor VET-20T - POSKOM, AP.EMU
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/12117-6 - Evaluation of the effectiveness of training developed in the studio and confiability of the numerical scales, CMPS-SF and UMPS for the assessment of acute pain in dogs and the abbreviated sedation scale in dogs, BP.IC; 21/12358-3 - Statistical improvement of the behavioral diagnosis of pain in felines, sheep, swine, and cattle, BP.PD; 19/14776-7 - Evaluation of the UNESP - Botucatu Short-form for pain assessment in cats by a naive observer, BP.IC; 18/17839-7 - Development, validation and reliability of a postoperative acute pain scale in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), BP.MS

Abstract

Pain is the main cause of animal suffering. It is not possible to treat pain without identifying the phenomenon, hence the importance of validated tools to guarantee a precise evaluation of pain and the qualitative and temporal effect of analgesics. Once pain is precisely evaluated, the other challenge is to search for new therapeutic strategies to provide antialgic therapy. We propose two major challenges: 1) to validate scales to assess pain and quality of life in animals and 2) to treat acute and chronic pain by pharmacological and non-conventional methods. For the former it is proposed to clinically validate the pain scales in cats (short version of the Unesp-Botucatu scale already established), horses and cattle, which have been validated experimentally in the previous project; to develop new tools to evaluate equine pain, including body language and quality of life and validate pain scales for the asinine, ovine and caprine species. For each scale, after extensive video recording work, we will construct etograms, video editing and analysis by evaluators, followed by statistical modeling validated in previous studies and with methodology considered as the only validated instrument available in the literature (MEROLA; MILLS, 2016). As pain assessment only matters when animals benefit from treatment, the second appeal is to treat pain and improve the quality of life of animals. To achieve this demand we will evaluate accurate sedative and analgesic protocols through pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling in horses and dogs; we will advance in the study of complementary techniques (acupuncture, phytotherapy, implant of stem cells and ozone) and we will try to increase precision of the spinal anesthetic blocks guided by ultrasonography. (AU)

Scientific publications

(31)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA SILVA, GUSTAVO VENANCIO; TOMACHEUSKI, RUBIA MITALLI; DE OLIVEIRA, FLAVIA AUGUSTA; PAIRIS-GARCIA, MONIQUE DANIELLE; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO; TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES. Behavioral red flags for optimizing castration-induced acute pain diagnosis in cattle. Research in Veterinary Science, v. 182, p. 6-pg., 2024-11-28. (10/08967-0, 17/12815-0)

DE OLIVEIRA, MARIA GLAUCIA CARLOS; LUNA, STELIO P. L.; NUNES, TALYTA LINS; FIRMINO, PAULO R.; DE LIMA, AMARA GYANE A.; FERREIRA, JOSIEL; TRINDADE, PEDRO H. E.; JUNIOR, RAIMUNDO A. B.; DE PAULA, VALERIA VERAS. Post-operative pain behaviour associated with surgical castration in donkeys (Equus asinus). EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, v. 53, n. 2, p. 261-266, MAR 2021. (17/12815-0)

TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; DE ARAUJO, ANA LUCELIA; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRA. Weighted pain-related behaviors in pigs undergoing castration based on multilevel logistic regression algorithm. APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, v. 265, p. 6-pg., 2023-08-01. (17/12815-0, 21/12358-3)

GUILHERME TREVISAN; RENATA HADDAD PINHO; JACKSON BARROS DO AMARAL; STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO LUNA. Efeito analgésico da administração preventiva de meloxicam em bezerros submetidos à descorna com ferro quente. Ciência Rural, v. 52, n. 10, 2022-04-01. (17/12815-0)

SILVA, NUNO EMANUEL OLIVEIRA FIGUEIREDO; TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; OLIVEIRA, ALICE RODRIGUES; TAFFAREL, MARILDA ONGHERO; MOREIRA, MARIA ALICE PIRES; DENADAI, RENAN; ROCHA, PAULA BARRETO; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO. Validation of the Unesp-Botucatu composite scale to assess acute postoperative abdominal pain in sheep (USAPS). PLoS One, v. 15, n. 10, OCT 14 2020. (17/12815-0, 10/08967-0)

CIMA, DANIELA SANTILLI; CREDIE, LEONARDO DE FREITAS GUIMARAES ARCOVERDE; FUTEMA, FABIO; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO. Lumbar Epidural: Anatomical and Clinical Study in Dogs Submitted to Ovariohysterectomy. FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE, v. 7, NOV 3 2020. (17/12815-0)

TOMACHEUSKI, RUBIA M.; TAFFAREL, MARILDA O.; FERRANTE, MARCOS; LUNA, STELIO P. L.. Preliminary survey of the attitudes of Brazilian scientists towards pain management and assessment in animals used in science. VETERINARY ANAESTHESIA AND ANALGESIA, v. 47, n. 5, p. 10-pg., 2020-09-01. (17/12815-0)

DE OLIVEIRA, MARCELA CARNEIRO; DE LIMA, MAYARA TRAVALINI; TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO. The impact of using pain scales by untrained students on the decision to provide analgesia to multiple species. VETERINARY ANAESTHESIA AND ANALGESIA, v. 51, n. 5, p. 10-pg., 2024-08-20. (17/12815-0)

ESTEVES TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE; SERRAJORDIA ROCHA DE MELLO, JOAO FERNANDO; OLIVEIRA FIGUEIREDO SILVA, NUNO EMANUEL; LOUREIRO LUNA, STELIO PACCA. Improving Ovine Behavioral Pain Diagnosis by Implementing Statistical Weightings Based on Logistic Regression and Random Forest Algorithms. ANIMALS, v. 12, n. 21, p. 19-pg., 2022-11-01. (17/12815-0, 21/12358-3)

PINHO, RENATA H.; JUSTO, ANDRE A.; CIMA, DANIELA S.; FONSECA, MARIANA W.; MINTO, BRUNO W.; ROCHA, FABIANA D. L.; LEACH, MATTHEW C.; LUNA, STELIO P. L.. Effects of Human Observer Presence on Pain Assessment Using Facial Expressions in Rabbits. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, v. 62, n. 1, p. 6-pg., 2023-01-01. (18/17839-7, 17/12815-0)

TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; DA SILVA, GUSTAVO VENANCIO; DE OLIVEIRA, FLAVIA AUGUSTA; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRA. Ranking bovine pain-related behaviors using a logistic regression algorithm. APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, v. 271, p. 8-pg., 2024-01-25. (10/08967-0, 17/12815-0, 21/12358-3)

LOUREIRO LUNA, STELIO PACCA; DE ARAUJO, ANA LUCELIA; DA NOBREGA NETO, PEDRO ISIDRO; BRONDANI, JULIANA TABARELLI; DE OLIVEIRA, FLAVIA AUGUSTA; DOS SANTOS AZEREDO, LILIANE MARINHO; TELLES, FELIPE GARCIA; ESTEVES TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE. Validation of the UNESP-Botucatu pig composite acute pain scale (UPAPS). PLoS One, v. 15, n. 6, JUN 1 2020. (17/12815-0, 10/08967-0)

FINKA, LAUREN R.; LUNA, STELIO P.; BRONDANI, JULIANA T.; TZIMIROPOULOS, YORGOS; MCDONAGH, JOHN; FARNWORTH, MARK J.; RUTA, MARCELLO; MILLS, DANIEL S.. Geometric morphometrics for the study of facial expressions in non-human animals, using the domestic cat as an exemplar. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 9, JUL 8 2019. (17/12815-0, 10/08967-0)

BELLI, MAIRA; DE OLIVEIRA, ALICE R.; DE LIMA, MAYARA T.; TRINDADE, PEDRO H. E.; STEAGALL, V, PAULO; LUNA, STELIO P. L.. Clinical validation of the short and long UNESP-Botucatu scales for feline pain assessment. PeerJ, v. 9, APR 12 2021. (17/12815-0)

DE OLIVEIRA, ALICE RODRIGUES; GOZALO-MARCILLA, MIGUEL; RINGER, SIMONE KATJA; SCHAUVLIEGE, STIJN; FONSECA, MARIANA WERNECK; ESTEVES TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE; PROSPERO PUOLI FILHO, JOSE NICOLAU; LOUREIRO LUNA, STELIO PACCA. Development and validation of the facial scale (FaceSed) to evaluate sedation in horses. PLoS One, v. 16, n. 6, 2021. (17/01425-6, 17/12815-0, 17/16208-0)

PERES, BEATRIZ GRANETTI; DE OLIVEIRA, MARCELA CARNEIRO; PIVATO, GIOVANA MANCILLA; DA SILVA, GUSTAVO VENANCIO; DE ARAUJO, ANA LUCELIA; ESPOSTO, FABIO AUGUSTO DA SILVA; PAIRIS-GARCIA, MONIQUE DANIELLE; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO; TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES. Novel application of machine learning to enhance untrained and inexperienced evaluators' diagnosis of acute pain in pigs. APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, v. 292, p. 8-pg., 2025-07-26. (17/12815-0)

ROSA, GUSTAVO DOS SANTOS; TERAMOTO KRIECK, ANDRE MASSAHIRO; PADULA, ENRICO TOPAN; STIEVANI, FERNANDA DE CASTRO; ROSSI, MARIANA CORREA; HUBBE PFEIFER, JOAO PEDRO; BASSO, ROBERTA MARTINS; MARQUES BRAZ, ALINE MARCIA; GOLIM, MARJORIE DE ASSIS; GARCIA ALVES, ANA LIZ. Production of Cytotoxic Antibodies After Intra-Articular Injection of Allogeneic Synovial Membrane Mesenchymal Stem Cells With and Without LPS Administration. FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY, v. 13, p. 12-pg., 2022-04-27. (17/14460-4, 17/12815-0)

TOMACHEUSKI, RUBIA MITALLI; MONTEIRO, BEATRIZ PAGLERANI; EVANGELISTA, MARINA CAYETANO; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO; STEAGALL, PAULO VINICIUS. Measurement properties of pain scoring instruments in farm animals: A systematic review using the COSMIN checklist. PLoS One, v. 18, n. 1, p. 25-pg., 2023-01-20. (17/12815-0)

LUNA, STELIO P. L.; TRINDADE, PEDRO H. E.; MONTEIRO, BEATRIZ P.; CROSIGNANI, NADIA; DELLA ROCCA, GIORGIA; RUEL, HELENE L. M.; YAMASHITA, KAZUTO; KRONEN, PETER; TE TSENG, CHIA; TEIXEIRA, LIVIA; et al. Multilingual validation of the short form of the Unesp-Botucatu Feline Pain Scale (UFEPS-SF). PeerJ, v. 10, p. 29-pg., 2022-03-23. (17/12815-0)

CREDIE, L. F. G. A.; LUNA, S. P. L.. Real-time ultrasound-guided lumbosacral epidural anaesthesia in obese or appropriate body condition score dogs: A randomized clinical trial. VETERINARY JOURNAL, v. 280, p. 6-pg., 2022-02-01. (17/12815-0)

OLIVEIRA, ALICE RODRIGUES DE; GOZALO-MARCILLA, MIGUEL; RINGER, SIMONE KATJA; SCHAUVLIEGE, STIJN; FONSECA, MARIANA WERNECK; TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; PUOLI FILHO, JOSE NICOLAU PROSPERO; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO. Development, Validation, and Reliability of a Sedation Scale in Horses (EquiSed). FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE, v. 8, FEB 16 2021. (17/16208-0, 17/01425-6, 17/12815-0)

HADDAD PINHO, RENATA; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO; TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; JUSTO, ANDRE AUGUSTO; CIMA, DANIELA SANTILLI; FONSECA, MARIANA WERNECK; MINTO, BRUNO WATANABE; ROCHA, FABIANA DEL LAMA C.; MILLER, AMY; FLECKNELL, PAUL; et al. Validation of the rabbit pain behaviour scale (RPBS) to assess acute postoperative pain in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). PLoS One, v. 17, n. 5, p. 30-pg., 2022-01-01. (18/17839-7, 17/12815-0)

PINHO, RENATA HADDAD; LEACH, MATTHEW C.; MINTO, BRUNO WATANABE; ROCHA, FABIANA DEL LAMA; LOUREIRO LUNA, STELIO PACCA. Postoperative pain behaviours in rabbits following orthopaedic surgery and effect of observer presence. PLoS One, v. 15, n. 10, OCT 22 2020. (18/17839-7, 17/12815-0)

TOMACHEUSKI, RUBIA M.; TAFFAREL, MARILDA O.; CARDOSO, GUILHERME S.; DERUSSI, ANA A. P.; FERRANTE, MARCOS; VOLPATO, RODRIGO; LUNA, STELIO P. L.. Postoperative Analgesic Effects of Laserpuncture and Meloxicam in Bitches Submitted to Ovariohysterectomy. VETERINARY SCIENCES, v. 7, n. 3, p. 9-pg., 2020-09-01. (17/12815-0)

OLIVEIRA, MARIA GLAUCIA CARLOS DE; PAULA, VALERIA VERAS DE; MOUTA, ANDRESSA NUNES; LIMA, ISABELLE DE OLIVEIRA; MACEDO, LUA BARBALHO DE; NUNES, TALYTA LINS; TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO. Validation of the Donkey Pain Scale (DOPS) for Assessing Postoperative Pain in Donkeys. FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE, v. 8, JUN 11 2021. (17/12815-0)

ESTEVES TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE; TAFFAREL, MARILDA ONGHERO; LOUREIRO LUNA, STELIO PACCA. Spontaneous Behaviors of Post-Orchiectomy Pain in Horses Regardless of the Effects of Time of Day, Anesthesia, and Analgesia. ANIMALS, v. 11, n. 6, JUN 2021. (17/12815-0, 10/08967-0)

TOMACHEUSKI, RUBIA MITALLI; MONTEIRO, BEATRIZ PAGLERANI; EVANGELISTA, MARINA CAYETANO; LOUREIRO LUNA, STELIO PACCA; STEAGALL, PAULO VINICIUS. Measurement properties of pain scoring instruments in farm animals: A systematic review protocol using the COSMIN checklist. PLoS One, v. 16, n. 5, MAY 14 2021. (17/12815-0)

DA ROCHA, PAULA BARRETO; DRIESSEN, BERND; MCDONNELL, SUE M.; HOPSTER, KLAUS; ZARUCCO, LAURA; GOZALO-MARCILLA, MIGUEL; HOPSTER-IVERSEN, CHARLOTTE; TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; DA ROCHA, THAMIRIS KRISTINE GONZAGA; TAFFAREL, MARILDA ONGHERO; et al. A critical evaluation for validation of composite and unidimensional postoperative pain scales in horses. PLoS One, v. 16, n. 8, AUG 5 2021. (17/12815-0)

DE SOUZA, JAQUELINE BRANDAO; ROSA, GUSTAVO DOS SANTOS; ROSSI, MARIANA CORREA; STIEVANI, FERNANDA DE CASTRO; PFEIFER, JOAO PEDRO HUBBE; TERAMOTO KRIECK, ANDRE MASSAHIRO; DE CARVALHO BOVOLATO, ANA LIVIA; FONSECA-ALVES, CARLOS EDUARDO; AMIGO BORRAS, VICENTE; GARCIA ALVES, ANA LIZ. In Vitro Biological Performance of Alginate Hydrogel Capsules for Stem Cell Delivery. FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 9, AUG 27 2021. (17/01369-9, 17/12815-0, 17/14460-4)

DA SILVA, NUNO EMANUEL DE OLIVEIRA FIGUEIREDO; TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; DA SILVA, GUSTAVO VENANCIO; DE OLIVEIRA, FLAVIA AUGUSTA; TAFFAREL, MARILDA ONGHERO; DE LIMA, MAYARA TRAVALINI; TOMACHEUSKI, RUBIA MITALLI; ROSA, GUSTAVO DOS SANTOS; ALVES, ANA LIZ GARCIA; LUNA, STELIO PACCA LOUREIRO. Clinical validation of the Unesp-Botucatu acute pain scale in sheep undergoing orthopedic surgery. PLoS One, v. 20, n. 5, p. 22-pg., 2025-01-01. (17/12815-0)

TRINDADE, PEDRO HENRIQUE ESTEVES; DA ROCHA, PAULA BARRETO; DRIESSEN, BERND; MCDONNELL, SUE M.; HOPSTER, KLAUS; ZARUCCO, LAURA; GOZALO-MARCILLA, MIGUEL; HOPSTER-IVERSEN, CHARLOTTE; DA ROCHA, THAMIRIS KRISTINE GONZAGA; TAFFAREL, MARILDA ONGHERO; et al. Predictive modeling toward refinement of behavior-based pain assessment in horses. APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, v. 267, p. 8-pg., 2023-09-15. (17/12815-0, 21/12358-3)