Veterinary Care

Pain Management in Veterinary Medicine

Pain management in animals has historically lagged behind human medicine. Advances in veterinary pain science and pharmacology are transforming how animal pain is recognized and treated.

Key Facts

The Cat Grimace Scale and Mouse Grimace Scale have been validated for assessing pain in these species
Chronic pain in companion animals is thought to be significantly underdiagnosed due to stoic behavior
NSAIDs and opioid analgesics are now routinely used in companion animal surgery where they were once withheld
Farm animal pain management remains inadequate despite growing regulatory requirements for some procedures
Neuropathic pain in animals is an emerging research area with significant welfare implications

Welfare Considerations

The recognition that animals experience pain and that this pain requires management has been one of the most important welfare advances in recent decades. Historical assumptions that animals experienced less pain or recovered faster than humans are now known to be wrong. Validated pain scales, better pharmacological options, and changed professional norms have improved pain management in companion animals significantly, though farm animal pain management still lags.

What You Can Do

Always ask your veterinarian about pain management options for any procedure or diagnosis
Advocate for pain assessment scales to be used routinely in veterinary practices you use
Support regulation requiring pain relief for surgical procedures in all farm animal species
Donate to organizations developing better pain assessment tools for under-studied species
Learn to recognize pain behaviors in the animals you care for