Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience. When this pain affects the oral cavity—including the teeth, tongue, gums, and bone structures—it is referred to as orofacial pain.
Orofacial pain can cause significant discomfort and have negative physiological effects that directly impact our patients’ quality of life.
These effects are especially evident in changes to eating habits and nutritional status. Additionally, untreated pain can lead to behavioral changes such as fear, stress, and anxiety, and may even affect the bond between the animal and their family.
How Do We Diagnose It?
One of the main challenges in diagnosing orofacial pain is the lack of specific assessment tools in veterinary medicine. This is compounded by the inability to rely on verbal communication and the tendency of many animals to mask signs of pain.
Despite these limitations, there are clinical signs that may alert us to the presence of orofacial pain, such as halitosis, excessive drooling, weight loss and decreased body condition, or reduced appetite (hyporexia) or anorexia.
When it comes to behavioral changes, it’s important to look out for:
When we talk about treatment, it’s essential to answer two key questions: When? and How?
When? Treatment should begin immediately whenever there is suspicion or confirmation of pain.
How? Multimodal analgesia is the most effective strategy. This involves combining different drugs with complementary mechanisms of action to achieve better pain control.
Available therapeutic options include:
It’s important to emphasize that there is no one-size-fits-all protocol. Each case must be evaluated individually, taking into account both the underlying cause and the type of pain—whether acute adaptive or chronic maladaptive. For example, a patient with acute pain will require a different approach than one with chronic pain, whose analgesic needs are usually more complex and long-term.
At IVeM, we stress the importance of early identification of orofacial pain and the implementation of personalized treatment to improve our patients’ quality of life and preserve their physical and emotional well-being.
