Pain recognition in companion animals requires understanding species-specific pain signals, as cats and dogs mask suffering in ways that lead to chronic pain being undertreated in veterinary practice.
Unrecognised and undertreated pain is one of the most significant welfare problems in companion animal populations. The combination of animals' instinct to mask pain and owners' tendency to attribute behavioural changes to ageing rather than suffering means that chronic pain in particular receives inadequate treatment. Validated pain scales provide a framework for more systematic assessment, but owner education in recognising early pain signals is equally important. The welfare impact of effective pain management - in terms of improved behaviour, activity, and quality of life - can be transformative for affected animals and their owners.