Pain recognition in dogs is a fundamental welfare skill that enables timely intervention and prevents unnecessary suffering in companion animals.
Unrecognised and untreated pain is arguably the most common welfare problem in companion dogs. Chronic pain from osteoarthritis, dental disease, and other conditions is frequently dismissed as normal ageing rather than treated as the treatable medical problem it is. The behavioural signs of chronic pain — reduced activity, altered posture, reluctance to jump or climb stairs, reduced play — are easily misinterpreted. The Canine Grimace Scale provides a validated tool for detecting acute pain from facial expressions. Effective pain recognition and treatment can transform the quality of life of dogs suffering silently from conditions that owners and sometimes veterinarians have normalised.