Parasympathetic tone activity, heart rate, and grimace scale in conscious horses of 3 breeds before, during, and after nociceptive mechanical stimulation

Abstract

Background: Parasympathetic tone activity (PTA) in response to nociceptive stimulus in conscious non-sedated horses is unknown.

Objectives: Study PTA, heart rate (HR), and horse grimace scale (HGS) at rest and during mechanical nociceptive stimulation.

Animals: Ninety healthy young adult horses (females, males): 30 each of Friesians, Quarter Horses, and Warmbloods.

Methods: Prospective control study. The study consisted of habituation to equipment (Day 1), baseline recordings (Days 2 and 3), and nociceptive testing applying mild pressure to the metacarpus (Day 4). Parasympathetic tone, HR, and HGS were recorded simultaneously on Days 2 to 4. Each study lasted 30 minutes and was done in triplicate at 3 different time points per day.

Results: Baseline PTA was not different among breeds. It decreased in Warmbloods and Quarter Horses during placement of the stimulus device without stimulation (P < .01). A significant decrease in PTA (P < .001) occurred during nociceptive stimulus (marked in Quarter Horses, intermediate in Warmbloods, and mild in Friesians). Heart rate and HGS increased significantly (P < .001) during the stimulus in all breeds but returned to baseline poststimulation. Friesians required higher pressure (P < .05) to elicit an aversive response to the stimulus.

Conclusions: Horses' PTA, HR, and HGS change in response to a mild mechanical nociceptive stimulus with Friesians showing less variation. Stress induced a decrease in PTA in Quarter Horses and Warmbloods but not in Friesians. Friesians appeared to be more tolerant to pain based on PTA, HR, and HGS findings compared with other breeds.

Keywords: autonomous; behavior; pain; vagal tone; welfare.