Which statement is TRUE about pain in rodents?

• A. It is good to assume that procedures that are painful for humans are also painful for animals
• B. Pain is always obvious and easy to detect
• C. Rodents do not feel pain
• D. Pain is irrelevant to ethical review

Answer: (A)

Pain in rodents should be anticipated and minimized. If a procedure would be painful for a human, it is reasonable to assume it could cause pain in a rodent and to provide analgesia and refinement to prevent or lessen suffering. This proactive approach is central to animal welfare and ethical review, where assessing potential pain and implementing humane endpoints are essential. Pain in rodents isn’t always obvious—signs can be subtle or species-specific—so relying on visible distress alone isn’t enough. The idea that rodents don’t feel pain or that pain isn’t relevant to ethics isn’t correct; treating pain seriously is a basic expectation in humane experimental care. By recognizing potential pain and managing it appropriately, welfare is protected and experimental outcomes are more reliable.