How should pain be assessed in nonverbal animals?

• A. Rely solely on heart rate and blood pressure.
• B. Use species-appropriate validated pain scales (numeric or descriptive) and observe facial expression, posture, vocalization, and activity; reassess regularly and adjust analgesia.
• C. Ask the owner to grade pain on a 10-point scale only.
• D. Pain cannot be assessed in nonverbal animals.

Answer: (B)

Pain in nonverbal animals is best assessed with structured, species-specific validated pain scales, and this should be combined with careful observation of behavior. Using scales that are validated for the species (these can be numeric or descriptive) provides a standardized way to quantify pain and track changes over time. Pairing those scores with direct observations—facial expression, posture and activity, vocalization, and interaction with the environment—gives a fuller picture of the animal’s comfort. Reassessing at regular intervals and adjusting analgesia as needed ensures pain is controlled while avoiding overmedication.

Relying on heart rate and blood pressure alone isn’t reliable because these signs can be influenced by many factors besides pain, such as stress, fever, medications, or underlying disease. Owner opinions can be valuable but are not sufficient on their own and should be integrated with clinical scales and observations rather than used as the sole method. Pain can be present in nonverbal animals even without obvious vocalization, which is why a multimodal assessment approach using validated tools and behavior is essential.