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Shamefully, until fairly recently in our history, it was assumed that non-human animals do not feel pain. It was believed that if animals experienced discomfort, they felt it 'differently', or could endure it. Consequently, animals have suffered in the very hands that meant to comfort and heal.

Why did humans assume they were the only creatures to experience pain and suffering? In part, perhaps it is because humans articulate pain -- the only real thing that sets the human animal apart from the non-human animal is speech.

The animal cannot verbalize its discomfort, and to avoid predation, it hides weakness or vulnerability. This is especially true of wild animals, and it is crucial that the rehabilitator learn to assess the animal's discomfort and address it.

Most countries have enacted legislation meant to protect animals from pain and distress. In the U.S., a 1985 amendment to the Animal Welfare Act requires pain be minimized or eliminated. In relation to laboratory animals, it requires principal investigators to consider alternatives to painful or distressful procedures, and states that, in any practice that could cause pain to animals, a veterinarian must be consulted in planning of the procedures to ensure the appropriate use of pain-relieving medications. The implementing regulations for these requirements from Section 13 of the Act are found in Subpart C, Part 2, Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations.

Research demonstrates that we have much to learn about animal pain:

Recent data in animals have shown that pain and inhibition of pain differs in males and females and that estrogen dependent pathways in females play an important role in analgesia. It has also been suggested that some analgesics may produce more pain relief in males than females.
http://altweb.jhsph.edu/meetings/pain/sechzer.htm

How does one recognize and treat an animal's pain?
In the Animal Welfare Act, a painful procedure is defined as, "... any procedure that would reasonably be expected to cause more than slight and momentary pain or distress in a human being..." In both humans and most animals, the total pain experience results from an interaction between sensory pathways and the affective system, which provides the motivational and emotional component of pain. This varies considerably between species and individuals within a species.

Physiological responses to pain can include increased blood pressure and heart rate, pupillary dilation, increased respiration, and an arousal response on the electroencephalogram. If baseline values are known for these variables, they can be monitored for changes.

To detect behavioral signs of pain, one must be familiar with the animal's normal behavior. Behavioral responses to pain vary between species, within species, and even within the same animal. General behaviors to evaluate include: sleeping, feeding, drinking, locomotion, grooming, exploration, performance in learning and discrimination tasks, mating behavior, social interactions, and dominance/subservience responses within the social system.

Typical behavioral signs of pain include:

• Protecting the painful area
• Vocalizing (especially when handled or moving)
• Licking, biting, scratching, or shaking the painful area
• Restlessness
• Lack of mobility
• Failure to groom
• Abnormal postures
• Lack of normal interest in surroundings

UCHSC Guidelines for Prevention, Recognition and Treatment of Pain in Animals.

Can pain be relieved?
Studies have shown that mammalian analgesics are effective in reptiles and birds, and there is good evidence for analgesic efficacy in amphibians and fish, which suggests that they may experience pain in a similar way. AVMA Ethics of Pain Management in Animals

Do not attempt to medicate an animal without veterinary advice. Certain analgesics can be safe for one animal and deadly for another.

To learn more about pain and pain management in animals, choose one of the following topics:

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