Accurately detecting and measuring pain in laboratory animals is essential for welfare and scientific validity. New assessment tools are transforming how researchers recognize and respond to animal pain.
Accurate pain assessment is the prerequisite for adequate pain management in laboratory animals. Without reliable detection of pain, even well-intentioned researchers and veterinarians cannot treat suffering they cannot recognize. Prey species including mice, rats, and rabbits actively suppress behavioral pain indicators, making them appear comfortable when they are experiencing significant pain. Grimace scales trained on validated facial action units detect pain that behavioral observation misses, enabling more timely and appropriate pain management. The development of automated scoring systems reduces the expertise barrier to using these tools at scale. Institutional commitment to comprehensive pre-emptive and postoperative pain management represents a high-impact welfare improvement that also improves scientific data quality by reducing pain-related confounds.