Advances in veterinary pain management have transformed animal care, but significant gaps remain between best practice and common practice, especially in farm animal medicine.
The recognition and treatment of animal pain is a cornerstone of welfare science and veterinary ethics. Evidence shows animals experience pain qualitatively similar to human pain — with behavioral, physiological, and neural signatures that parallel human pain responses. Gaps in pain management often result from cost concerns, lack of awareness, or outdated beliefs. Education, regulation, and veterinary advocacy are all needed to close these gaps.