Dog & Cat Pain Scale Calculator
Pets hide pain by instinct. Answer a few quick questions and get a clear pain score, plus exactly what to do next. Built by Dr Duncan Houston using validated veterinary pain scales.
Start the pet pain assessment
Step 1 · Which pet
This uses the same signs vets check in the clinic, translated into plain language for home use. Watch your dog calmly for a minute, then answer honestly.
Call a vet now if you see any of these
These signs override any score. Do not wait to finish the assessment.
- Struggling to breathe, gasping, or gums are blue, white or grey
- Collapse, inability to stand, or unresponsiveness
- A swollen, hard abdomen, especially with unproductive retching
- Non-stop crying, screaming or panic that will not settle
- Major trauma, uncontrolled bleeding, sudden paralysis or inability to pass urine
- An active seizure lasting about five minutes, repeated or cluster seizures, or failure to recover normally afterwards
Complete the assessment to hear a result summary.
Adapted home screening total
Pet pain assessment result
Complete the assessment to see guidance.
What to do next
Assessment responses
Go straight to an emergency vet if
These examples are not exhaustive. Severe or rapidly worsening distress needs immediate in-person care.
Save or share this result
Download the detailed report, print a clean copy or open a brief email summary.
Email opens your email app. Nothing is sent or stored by ASK A VET™.
How the dog and cat pain calculator works
This free screening tool helps owners recognise common signs of acute pain. The dog questions follow the six behavioural categories used by the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale Short Form. The cat questions use the five facial action units in the Feline Grimace Scale.
The wording has been simplified for owners, so the result is a home screening guide rather than a diagnosis or a substitute for the original clinician-administered scales. A low result cannot rule out pain.
How to use this pet pain scale safely
- Observe your pet quietly before touching or moving them. For the cat assessment, watch an awake cat undisturbed for about 30 seconds. Wait if they are sleeping, eating, grooming or vocalising.
- Choose Dog or Cat, then select the strongest sign you can clearly see right now.
- Do not make your pet walk or touch a painful area if doing so could cause distress or put you at risk of being bitten.
- For cats, choose “Cannot assess” when a facial feature is not clearly visible. The calculator needs at least four of the five features to estimate a score.
- Treat every emergency warning as more important than the number. Stop the assessment and contact a veterinary clinic if a red flag is present.
What dog and cat pain scores mean
These numbers are reference points, not diagnoses. The original clinician-administered dog scale uses a reference point of 6/24, or 5/20 when mobility cannot be assessed. The original Feline Grimace Scale uses a normalised reference point above 0.39. Because this calculator simplifies those tools for owners at home, its result is not validated and must not determine whether pain medication or other treatment is given.
A result at or above the reference point means a veterinarian should assess the cause and decide whether pain relief or other treatment is needed. A lower result does not rule out pain. Contact your vet whenever your pet seems unwell, is behaving differently or is getting worse.
Acute pain versus chronic pain
This calculator focuses on acute pain signs visible right now, such as after an injury, illness or procedure. Chronic pain can be subtler and may appear as reduced jumping, stiffness after rest, altered sleep, less grooming, appetite changes or gradual withdrawal over days or weeks. Repeated observations and a veterinary examination matter more than one score. For pets with advanced or long-term illness, the pet quality of life calculator can help track the wider pattern.
Signs of pain in dogs
- Whimpering, groaning, yelping or unusual vocalisation
- Licking, rubbing, chewing or guarding a sore area
- Limping, stiffness, reluctance to move or an abnormal posture
- Restlessness, anxiety, withdrawal or reduced responsiveness
Signs of pain in cats
- Flattened or outward-rotated ears
- Partly closed or tightly squinted eyes
- A tense muzzle and straight, forward-pointing whiskers
- A head held level with or below the shoulders
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my dog is in pain?
Possible signs include vocalising, guarding or licking a painful area, altered movement, a tense posture, restlessness and changes in behaviour. A veterinary examination is required to diagnose the cause.
How can I tell if my cat is in pain?
Cats may show pain through squinted eyes, flattened or rotated ears, a tense muzzle, stiff forward whiskers, a lowered head and changes in normal behaviour.
What pain score means my pet should see a vet?
The original clinician-administered dog scale uses a reference point of 6 out of 24, or 5 out of 20 when mobility cannot be assessed. The original Feline Grimace Scale uses a normalised reference point above 0.39. This simplified home adaptation is not validated and must not determine pain treatment, so contact a vet whenever you are concerned, regardless of the result.
What if I cannot safely touch or move my dog?
Do not force the assessment or guess. Choose the available “Cannot assess safely” option. If a required dog category cannot be assessed, the calculator returns an incomplete result rather than comparing a partial total with the clinical reference point. Contact a veterinarian if you suspect pain.
Does a low pain score mean my pet is not in pain?
No. Pain may be intermittent, subtle or masked by fear and stress. Contact a veterinarian if your pet is unwell or behaving abnormally, regardless of the score.
Can I give my pet human pain medication?
Do not give human pain medication unless a veterinarian specifically directs you to do so. Ibuprofen, paracetamol (acetaminophen) and other human medicines can cause severe or fatal poisoning in pets. If any has already been given, contact a veterinarian or animal poison service immediately and do not wait for symptoms.
When is pain an emergency?
Seek urgent veterinary care for breathing difficulty, collapse, major trauma, uncontrolled distress, a swollen hard abdomen, a cat straining without passing urine, an active seizure lasting about five minutes, repeated or cluster seizures, or failure to recover normally after a seizure. A first brief seizure with full recovery still needs prompt veterinary advice.
Clinical basis: Reid et al., “Development of the short-form Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-SF) and derivation of an analgesic intervention score”, Animal Welfare; and Evangelista et al., “Facial expressions of pain in cats: the development and validation of a Feline Grimace Scale”, Scientific Reports.