Companion Animal Welfare

Companion Animal Pain Assessment Tools

Validated pain assessment tools for companion animals enable objective measurement of pain severity, monitoring treatment response, and informed decision-making for suffering animals.

Key Facts

The Glasgow Composite Pain Scale is validated for acute pain in dogs
The Feline Grimace Scale enables pain assessment from facial expressions in cats
Owner-completed pain questionnaires help identify chronic pain at home
Pain scales enable treatment comparison and monitoring without relying on intuition
Training veterinary staff in pain assessment tools improves clinical pain management

Welfare Considerations

Objective pain assessment tools transform pain management from subjective guesswork to evidence-based intervention. Using validated tools consistently enables better pain control, earlier intervention, and more informed welfare decisions throughout veterinary care.

What You Can Do

Ask your vet which pain assessment tools they use in their practice
Learn about the Feline Grimace Scale for assessing cat pain at home
Support veterinary continuing education in pain assessment and management