Imagine a dog limping into your clinic with its concerned owner in tow. It’s not too hard to presume that the animal is experiencing some degree of discomfort. But what about a cat who suddenly spends less time grooming? Or a dog who no longer wants to chase their favorite toy around the house for hours at a time? Our furred companions are remarkable at masking signs of pain, which may have served them well as a survival tactic from their wild roots, but now may hinder pet caregivers from providing appropriate care and honoring their animal’s quality of life. In recognition of Animal Pain Awareness Month, host Dr. Bonnie Gatson welcomes esteemed guest Dr. Tammy Grubb. Dr. Grubb is a boarded veterinary anesthesiologist, president-elect of IVAPM (International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management), and a world-renowned expert in the recognition and treatment of pain in companion animals. Together, they will decode various classifications of pain, offer inciteful methods of assessing pain in different domesticated species, and discuss the role of modern technology in advancing the field of pain assessment in animals.

Links to content/resources mentioned in the podcast:

Learn more about Animal Pain Awareness Month

2022 AAHA Pain Management Guidelines 

WSAVA Global Pain Council Guidelines

Feline Grimace Scale 

Short Form of the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale for dogs 

Client Specific Outcome Measure

Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (Pain-Free)

Canine Brief Pain Inventory scale.

Pain Trace 

Additional pain assessment tools: 

The COAST Tool developed by Elanco (Canine OsteoArthritis Staging Tool)

Osteoarthritis Pain Checklist developed by Zoetis for dogs and cats