Breed Differences and Stereotypes Related to Pain Sensitivity

By Sharon Albright, DVM, CCRT Manager of Communications & Veterinary Outreach, AKC Canine Health Foundation

Is a Chihuahua tougher than a Rottweiler? Is a Husky more sensitive than a Boston Terrier?

It is not surprising that people have varying opinions about differences among dog breeds. A recent survey showed that most veterinarians and members of the general public believe that dog breeds differ in pain sensitivity. In human medicine, there is substantial evidence that stereotypes based on patient race, ethnicity, and gender can affect how healthcare providers rate pain sensitivity. Could the same be true in veterinary medicine? Until recently, there was no scientific evidence that dog breeds differ in pain sensitivity. However, a team of AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) funded investigators at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine has published results from their groundbreaking study which may radically change how we understand canine pain (CHF Grant 02797: Do Dog Breeds Differ in Pain Sensitivity?). The study tested ten different breeds or breed types of client-owned dogs by applying pressure or heat to the front limb and observing their behavioral response to the stimulus. Discomfort was assumed and the stimulus was removed when a dog pulled its leg away, vocalized, stopped panting, licked its lips, and/or looked at the stimulus. Since investigators had to use a behavioral response to indicate pain sensation, they also completed some tests of emotional reactivity to see if individual behavioral differences influenced the test response. They timed how long it took each dog to approach a novel object (a mechanical monkey toy) and scored each dog’s initial response and approach to a disgruntled stranger. Results revealed that breed differences in pain sensitivity do exist. There were also breed differences in emotional reactivity. However, behavioral differences alone were not sufficient to explain the pain sensitivity variations.

Veterinarian pain sensitivity rankings did not match those found on the testing. However, they did correlate with how dogs approached the disgruntled stranger. This test measured fear and anxiety that could be experienced separate from pain at the veterinary clinic. Breeds that were reported as more sensitive to pain were those that were more hesitant to approach the disgruntled stranger. So perhaps a dog’s initial interaction with the veterinary team influences the team’s beliefs about breed-specific pain sensitivity? To further explore how these breed-related biases develop, investigators surveyed people with varying levels of clinical veterinary training. They compared ratings of pain sensitivity, trust, and warmth toward various dog breeds and mixed breeds between veterinary school faculty and staff, veterinary students, undergraduate students studying a field related to animal health, and members of the general public. The farther along students were in their veterinary training or the more clinical experience they had, the more their ratings resembled those of veterinary school faculty/staff. Interestingly, this training does not include instruction on physiologic differences in pain sensitivity, suggesting that social processes during clinical training and veterinary education have a strong influence on breed stereotypes and beliefs relating to pain sensitivity. These are important questions to explore. Understanding the physiologic processes and/or genetics involved in breedspecific pain sensitivity could lead to targeted pain management protocols that improve pain relief and minimize unwanted side effects. Exploring when and how veterinarian beliefs about dog breeds develop can shed light on harmful stereotypes. Both veterinarians and owners play a vital role in canine health and welfare, especially when it comes to assessing and treating pain.

Ongoing CHF-funded research is exploring the owner’s influence on a dog’s cognitive and emotional responses toward actual or anticipated pain (CHF Grant 03114: Pain Catastrophizing: A Clinically-relevant Phenomenon in Dogs?). CHF is proud to fund groundbreaking studies such as these to advance the science of canine pain management and improve patient care. Learn more at akcchf.org/research.

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Posted by Liz on Jan 18 2024. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.