Welfare Science

Welfare Science: Animal Pain Assessment in Veterinary Practice

Accurate pain assessment is fundamental to animal welfare yet remains challenging due to species differences in pain expression and historical underestimation of animal pain.

Key Facts

Many species mask pain as a survival mechanism, complicating assessment
Validated pain scales exist for dogs, cats, horses, and some other species
Grimace scales using facial expressions have been validated across multiple species
Undertreated pain causes suffering, delays recovery, and has long-term welfare impacts
Veterinary training in pain recognition has improved significantly in recent years

Welfare Considerations

Historical underestimation of animal pain has led to systematic under-treatment. Validated pain assessment tools, including facial grimace scales and behavioural scoring, enable more accurate recognition of suffering and guide appropriate analgesia. Improving pain assessment is one of the highest-impact advances in clinical animal welfare.

What You Can Do

Ask your vet about their pain assessment protocols
Support veterinary research into pain assessment tools across species
Advocate for mandatory pain assessment training in veterinary education