Pain scoring
Pain scoring is an incredibly useful but often underused tool in the veterinary nurse's arsenal. There are lots of different pain scoring methods and techniques out there, but these are the ones I find most straightforward and easy to use.
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Ideally we want to pain score all of our patients after surgery as pain can greatly impact recovery. I would recommend having a laminated copy that stays with all the paperwork for each patient so they can be scored throughout their stay at your practice.
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Note: there are other pain scoring systems available, find one that you find most useful for you.
This scoring system is really quick to use, just follow each step and add your final score together at the end.
The recommendation is to increase analgesia if the patient scores either 6/24 or 5/20 or higher.
This is the feline version of the Glasgow Pain Scale. It works in the same way as the canine but includes scoring based on facial characteristics. Remember that some parts will be difficult to score with certain breeds i.e. ear position on a Scottish Fold may prove tricky!
Scores of 5/20 or higher indicate further analgesia may be needed.
Exotics and prey species are notoriously difficult to pain score as they don't like to show any signs of discomfort. The grimace scales are similar to the facial observation sections of the feline scale. There are charts available for rabbits, mice, and rats. I recommend practicing these whenever possible as they can be a little tricky to get the hang of when you first use them.
Disclaimer:
The information on this website is for reference and education, and any medications and doses should be prescribed by your veterinary surgeon before giving. All patients should be assessed individually and treated as such.