The Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing is an academic center affiliated with the Division of Toxicological Sciences in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

 

Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

Research Grants 2004-2005

Assessment of Heart Rate Variability as a Measure of Postoperative Pain in Dogs

John Dodam, DVM, MS, PhD
University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbia, Missouri

Invasive diagnostic procedures or surgery bave the potential to result in significant pain in research animals. Unfortunately, animals are unable to cotmnunicate this discomfort effectively to caregivers. Thus, a noninvasive and reliable metbod of asmssment of pain would benefit animals used in research. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate heart rate variability analysis as a way to assess postoperative pain in dogs. We hope that this noninvasive monitoring tool can be used to develop a reliable method of pain assessment in research animals, and that the use of heart rate variability analysis will lead to the development of effective and safe analgesic protocols for use in research and clinical patients. This study is co-funded by the Morris Animal Foundation and the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing.