Postoperative pain

Postoperative pain in a companion animal is the pain that follows surgery, arising from incised tissue, handling of organs and the inflammation of healing.

Dogs and cats cannot describe pain, so owners and veterinary staff look for behavioral signs: reluctance to move, guarding the surgical site, changes in posture, reduced appetite, vocalizing, restlessness or unusual withdrawal. Cats in particular may simply become quiet and hide. Pain is expected to be greatest in the first days after a procedure and to ease steadily as tissues heal.

Veterinarians assess it with validated pain scales that score facial expression, posture and response to touch, and they plan analgesia before, during and after surgery using established medications. Owners are typically given instructions on activity restriction and warning signs. Cannabinoids have appeared in a small number of veterinary studies around surgery, and the evidence is preliminary; any question about a recovering animal's comfort belongs with the treating veterinarian.