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. 2020 May 29:7:302.
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00302. eCollection 2020.

Inter-Rater Reliability of the Feline Grimace Scale in Cats Undergoing Dental Extractions

Ryota Watanabe  1 , Graeme M Doodnaught  1   2 , Marina C Evangelista  1 , Beatriz P Monteiro  1 , Hélène L M Ruel  1 , Paulo V Steagall  1
Affiliations

Inter-Rater Reliability of the Feline Grimace Scale in Cats Undergoing Dental Extractions

Ryota Watanabe et al. Front Vet Sci. .

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of the Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) in cats undergoing dental extractions and the effects of the caregiver's presence on the FGS scores. Twenty-four cats (6 ± 3.3 years old; 4.9 ± 1.7 kg) undergoing oral treatment were included in a prospective, blinded, randomized, clinical study. They underwent treatment under general anesthesia (acepromazine-hydromorphone-propofol-isoflurane-meloxicam-local anesthetic blocks) at day 1 and were discharged at day 6. Images of cat faces were captured from video recordings with or without the caregiver's presence at 6 h postoperatively (day 1), day 6, and before and after rescue analgesia. Images were randomized and independently evaluated by four raters using the FGS [five action units (AU): ear position, orbital tightening, muzzle tension, whiskers change, and head position; score 0-2 for each]. Inter-rater reliability and the effects of the caregiver's presence were analyzed with intraclass correlation coefficient [single measures (95% confidence interval)] and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, respectively (p < 0.05). A total of 91 images were scored. Total FGS scores showed good inter-rater reliability [0.84 (0.77-0.89)]. Reliability for each AU was: ears [0.68 (0.55-0.78)], orbital tightening [0.76 (0.65-0.84)], muzzle [0.56 (0.43-0.69)], whiskers [0.64 (0.50-0.76)], and head position [0.74 (0.63-0.82)]. The FGS scores were not different with [0.075 (0-0.325)] or without [0.088 (0-0.525)] the caregivers' presence (p = 0.12). The FGS is a reliable tool for pain assessment in cats undergoing dental extractions. The caregiver's presence did not affect FGS scores.

Keywords: Feline Grimace Scale; analgesia; dental pain; dentistry; facial expression; feline; pain assessment; periodontal disease.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of images captured from 24 cats with oral disease included in the study. Images with (a) and (b) were included for the analyses of inter-rater reliability and the effect of caregiver's presence, respectively.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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