Assessing and managing pain in cats and dogs

Registered veterinary nurses play a vital role in the assessment and management of pain, yet many may lack confidence in their ability to do so or to advocate for appropriate analgesia. Effective pain management is essential for patient welfare, with evidence suggesting it reduces healing times and shortens hospitalisation duration. To recognise pain behaviours and select suitable analgesic therapies, the registered veterinary nurses must have an understanding of the pain pathway. Multimodal pain management is recommended to minimise the risk of adverse effects and optimise patient care. The use of validated pain scoring systems is necessary to assess pain as objectively as possible and to ensure repeatability between users. Without such tools, the assessor's own bias may influence the evaluation, leading to under- or over-analgesia.