Dogs are often stoic in expressing pain, making recognition challenging for both owners and veterinary professionals. Better pain assessment tools and owner education can significantly improve welfare outcomes.
Unrecognized and untreated pain represents one of the most significant welfare gaps for companion animals. Dogs' evolutionary tendency to mask pain means owners and sometimes veterinarians miss signs of chronic suffering that could be treated. Osteoarthritis in dogs, for example, causes ongoing pain that significantly diminishes quality of life, yet many affected dogs never receive adequate pain management. The development and dissemination of validated pain assessment tools is critically important. Owner education programs that teach recognition of subtle pain indicators can meaningfully improve the welfare of millions of companion animals. Regular veterinary pain assessments should be standard practice particularly for older animals.