Correlation of Mechanical Thresholds, Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale, and Sharp and Wheeler Grading Scale in Dogs with Acute Thoracolumbar Disc Extrusions
2025
Jacqueline Hölscher | Alexandra Friederike Schütter | Sebastian Meller | Sabine B. R. Kästner | Holger Volk
In dogs with intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE), the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale—Short Form (GCMPS) and the Sharp and Wheeler Grading Scale (SWGS) are routinely used in the evaluation of pain (GCMPS) and neurological function (SWGS). Additionally, quantitative sensory tests (QSTs) are increasingly being incorporated into veterinary clinical practice for pain characterisation. The aim was to investigate a possible relationship between the GCMPS, the SWGS, and mechanical thresholds (MTs) in 31 client-owned dogs with thoracolumbar IVDEs. Dogs were always assessed in the same order, starting with pain rating using the GCMPS, followed by classifying neurological severity using the SWGS, before determining MTs using a handheld pressure algometer. Dogs were evaluated over a five-day testing period (before surgery and on days one, two, three, and ten after surgery). The GCMPS and the SWGS data remained consistent across all days of testing. No statistically significant correlation or difference was observed between the scores. MTs showed a significant negative correlation with the GCMPS (r = −0.311; <i>p</i> < 0.001) and a positive one with the SWGS (r = 0.282; <i>p</i> = 0.002). The GCMPS and MTs showed a slight divergence in their progression. MTs might be more sensitive than GCMPS in reflecting clinical improvement and should be considered for clinical practice.
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