Companion Animal Pain Assessment Tools Advanced

Validated pain assessment tools for companion animals provide veterinary teams and owners with objective methods to detect, monitor, and respond to pain in dogs and cats.

Key Facts

The Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-SF) is a validated short-form pain assessment for dogs
The Feline Grimace Scale uses facial expression scoring to detect acute pain in cats
Pain assessment scales allow consistent monitoring of pain response to treatment
Chronic pain is notoriously under-recognised in companion animals due to subtle behavioural changes
The Helsinki Chronic Pain Index provides validated assessment of chronic pain in dogs
Owner-completed pain assessments capture home behaviour that clinical assessments miss
Regular pain assessment should be standard practice for post-operative and chronic condition patients

Welfare Considerations

Pain in companion animals is frequently underestimated and undertreated. Validated assessment tools give veterinary teams and owners the means to objectively identify and monitor pain rather than relying on subjective impression. Normalising routine pain assessment as standard of care could dramatically improve the quality of life of millions of companion animals.

What You Can Do

Learn to use validated pain assessment tools appropriate for your companion animal species
Ask your vet about pain monitoring protocols for your pet's post-operative care or chronic condition
Download and use the Feline Grimace Scale app or similar tools for home pain monitoring
Advocate for routine pain assessment to be standard practice in veterinary consultations
Share pain assessment resources with other companion animal owners