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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 10, 2025

Assessment of Sensory Thresholds in Dogs Using Mechanical and Hot Thermal Quantitative Sensory Testing

Assessment of Sensory Thresholds in Dogs Using Mechanical and Hot Thermal Quantitative Sensory Testing

Published on: October 26, 2021

Pain in Pets: Beyond Physiology.

Roberta Downing¹, Giorgia Della Rocca²

¹The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management, Windsor, CO 80550, USA.

Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI

|February 11, 2023

Summary

Companion animals experience pain similarly to humans, yet a knowledge gap exists in managing their acute pain. Reframing pet pain as a bioethical issue can improve veterinary care and patient outcomes.

Keywords:

acute pain analgesia chronic pain clinical bioethics companion animals maladaptive pain pain

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Area of Science:

Veterinary Medicine
Animal Bioethics

Background:

Companion animals experience pain comparable to humans, but a significant gap persists between current knowledge and practical application of acute pain management.
This disparity highlights that companion animal pain extends beyond mere physiological responses, necessitating a broader approach to care.

Purpose of the Study:

To underscore the importance of addressing the gap in companion animal acute pain management.
To advocate for the integration of clinical bioethics principles into veterinary practice for improved patient care.

Main Methods:

The study reframes companion animal pain as a bioethical issue, drawing parallels with foundational principles from human medicine.
It emphasizes the application of respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice in veterinary clinical decision-making.

Main Results:

Adopting a bioethical framework for companion animal pain can bridge the gap between veterinary knowledge and its execution.
This approach elevates the standard of care by acknowledging the complex nature of animal pain.

Conclusions:

Veterinary clinicians should embrace bioethical principles to enhance the management of pain in companion animals.
Reframing pet pain as a bioethical concern is crucial for fulfilling the commitment to providing optimal care and closing the knowledge-execution gap.