Identifying pain behavior alterations in donkeys is a difficult task for veterinarians, keepers, and guardians. Donkeys do not clearly express pain and little attention is paid to this animal species, which is erroneously treated as ‘a small horse’.
To ensure the animal welfare of donkeys, a scale was developed in partnership between the Federal Rural University of the Semi-Árido (UFERSA) and Unesp-Botucatu to ensure a reliable, effective, and valid method for recognizing pain and enabling the proper diagnosis and treatment of pain in donkeys.
Access the topics below to learn about and use the scale.
UFERSA-Unesp-Botucatu Composite Scale to assess pain in donkeys
(Donkey Pain Scale – DOPS)
The DOPS presents six characteristics:
1) Head position
2) Head direction
3) Ear position
4) Lift pelvic limb
5) Response to opening the stall door
6) Response to palpation of the affected area
Each characteristic is scored from 0 (normal or no pain) to 2 (greatest possible pain), except elevating the pelvic limb which is scored up to 1.
UFERSA-Unesp-Botucatu Composite Scale to assess pain in donkeys (Donkey Pain Scale -DOPS) (Oliveira et al 2021)
1. Head position
Score
Above the withers or eating
0
At the height of the withers
1
Below the withers but without eating
2
2. Head direction
Score
Straight head or eating
0
Turned to environmental stimuli and not to body parts
1
Looking at the affected area
2
3. Ear position
Score
Forward facing predominantly
0
Lateral facing predominantly
1
Backward facing predominantly, rigidly
2
4. Lift pelvic limb
Score
The animal does not lift one of the pelvic limbs
0
The animal lifts one of the pelvic limbs
1
5. Response to opening the stall door
Score
Moves toward the door or is close to the door
0
Looks at the door but does not move toward the door
1
Does not respond to door opening
2
6. Response to palpation of the affected area
Score
No response or alteration in relation to the moment before pain
0
Mild response to palpation of the affected area
1
Violent response to palpation of the affected area
2
Total
11
After watching the videos corresponding to all sub-items of each item on the scale, watch the test videos, and analyze and score the behaviors. Then check the responses for each video. You are able to use the scale when your scores are up to 20% higher or lower than the template scores in at least three tests.
Decision to perform analgesia*
Score
Analgesic intervention score
(cut-off point)
DOPS
0 to 11
≥ 4
Diagnostic uncertainty zone: scores between 3 and 4
* Regardless of the score, it is up to the veterinarian to decide whether or not to use analgesics, according to the clinical evaluation.
After reading and training the previous items, click below to assess pain in your animal.