Welfare Science

Companion Animal Pain Assessment Tools

How validated pain assessment tools improve welfare in companion animals by enabling objective monitoring and treatment efficacy evaluation.

Key Facts

The Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale is validated for acute pain in dogs
Feline Grimace Scale allows rapid assessment of pain from facial expressions in cats
Pain assessment in non-verbal animals relies on behavioural and physiological indicators
Validated tools improve consistency of pain assessment between different observers
Regular pain assessment is particularly important for chronic pain in senior animals

Welfare Considerations

Pain assessment tools represent a practical welfare advance that improves outcomes for companion animals in clinical and home settings. Validated scales that capture behavioural, postural, and facial indicators of pain allow more accurate diagnosis and better monitoring of treatment response. Owner training in pain assessment tools empowers carers to detect and report pain earlier.

What You Can Do

Ask your vet to use validated pain assessment scales in your animal's care
Learn the behavioural signs of chronic pain in your species of companion animal
Support research into improved pain assessment tools for under-studied companion species