Veterinary pain management has improved dramatically, but significant gaps between evidence and practice remain. Understanding these gaps helps animal owners advocate for better care.
The history of veterinary pain management is a story of gradual recognition of animal suffering — a recognition that should have come earlier but continues to expand. The practical barriers to adequate pain management include client cost concerns, limited veterinary training in pain assessment, and in some countries, restricted access to controlled substances for veterinary use. The behavioral invisibility of pain in prey species — who hide vulnerability as a survival strategy — makes detection particularly challenging. Animal owners who understand species-specific pain signals and advocate for pain assessment and management improve outcomes for their animals. The standard of care is improving but remains below what is achievable and what animals deserve.