Companion Animal Welfare

Dog Pain Assessment Advances

How advances in validated pain assessment tools are improving veterinary recognition and treatment of pain in dogs.

Key Facts

Pain is consistently underdiagnosed and undertreated in dogs due to difficulty of assessment
Validated tools including the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale improve acute pain detection
Chronic pain assessment in dogs now uses owner-reported behavioral questionnaires
Facial action coding for dogs enables objective acute pain scoring from photographs
Undertreatment of pain in dogs is associated with behavioral problems and reduced quality of life

Welfare Considerations

Advances in dog pain assessment are transforming veterinary welfare standards. The development of species-validated behavioral and physiological pain measures has moved dog pain management from intuition to evidence-based practice. Owner education about pain recognition is equally critical — many dogs experiencing chronic pain from osteoarthritis or dental disease go untreated because owners attribute behavioral changes to aging rather than pain.

What You Can Do

Learn the signs of pain in dogs including changes in behavior, gait, and interaction
Use owner pain assessment questionnaires recommended by your veterinarian
Advocate for pain management protocols in veterinary practice and shelter settings
Discuss multimodal pain management with your vet for dogs with chronic conditions