Companion Animal Pain Assessment: Advances and Tools

Accurate pain assessment in companion animals has advanced substantially with validated pain scales now available for dogs, cats and horses, improving clinical outcomes.

Key Facts

Pain scales validated for clinical use include the Glasgow Composite Pain Scale for dogs and the UNESP-Botucatu scale for cats
Grimace scales using facial action units have been validated for mice, rats, rabbits, horses, pigs and cats
Animals cannot verbally report pain, making behavioural and physiological proxy measures essential
Underprescription of analgesia is a documented welfare problem in veterinary practice
Regular pain reassessment during treatment is as important as initial assessment

Welfare Considerations

Unrecognised and undertreated pain is a major source of unnecessary suffering in companion animals. Validated pain assessment tools transform clinical care by providing objective, repeatable measures that guide treatment decisions. Training veterinary staff to use these tools consistently and reassess pain throughout hospitalisation and recovery significantly reduces animal suffering.

What You Can Do

Ask your vet about their pain assessment protocols during surgical and medical care
Learn to use species-specific grimace scales to monitor your pet's comfort at home
Advocate for pain assessment tool use to be a standard of care in veterinary practice
Support veterinary education initiatives that include pain recognition and management