Noise Sensitivities in Dogs: An Exploration of Signs in Dogs with and without Musculoskeletal Pain Using Qualitative Content Analysis

Abstract

Noise sensitivity is a common behaviour problem in dogs. In humans, there is a well-established relationship between painful conditions and the development of fear-related avoidance responses. Whilst it is likely that a relationship exists between noise sensitivity and pain in dogs, this does not appear to have been investigated. The aim of this study was to explore the signs of noise sensitivity in dogs with and without musculoskeletal pain by comparing case histories using qualitative content analysis. Data were extracted from the clinical records of 20 cases of dogs presenting with noise sensitivity seen by clinical animal behaviourists at the University of Lincoln, composed of 2 groups—10 “clinical cases” with pain and 10 “control cases” without pain. Loud noises as a trigger of noise sensitivity were a common theme in both groups but ubiquitous among “clinical cases.” In “clinical cases” (i.e., those where pain was identified), the age of onset of the noise sensitivity was on average nearly 4 years later than “control cases.” In addition, strong themes emerged relating to widespread generalisation to associated environments and avoidance of other dogs in the “clinical cases,” which did not appear in the “control cases.” “Clinical cases” responded well to treatment once the involvement of pain had been identified. Veterinarians and behaviourists should carefully assess dogs with noise sensitivities for pain-related problems especially if presenting with these characteristics.

Cross-Sectional Age Differences in Canine Personality Traits; Influence of Breed, Sex, Previous Trauma, and Dog Obedience Tasks

“…Previous studies have reported increased anxiety in aged dogs, including increased neuroticism (40), fear of handling, fear of noises (14,41,66) and human and object fear (34). Since older dogs are more likely to suffer from painful conditions (e.g., osteoarthritis) (67), when not medicated, pain can cause changes in behavior such as increased anxiety and noise sensitivity (68). Unfortunately, the DPQ does not include questions about noise fear, and so we were not able to examine its relationship with age.…”

A Review of Medical Conditions and Behavioral Problems in Dogs and Cats

“…It may be that animals with pain can suffer from anxiety, and that anxiety leads to a pessimistic cognitive bias that also leads to fear reactions in dogs. Although further studies are needed in order to confirm this hypothesis, one recent clinical case study [20], with a small sample size, suggests a qualitative relationship between pain and noise sensitivity. In this study, 20 dogs with noise sensitivity were divided in two groups, 10 dogs that showed noise sensitivity and pain (clinical case group), and 10 that only showed noise sensitivity (control group).…”

Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs

“…Associations between certain forms of common behavior problems in dogs (i.e., aggressive behavior, noise sensitivities) and chronic musculoskeletal pain have recently been described [1][2][3], and clearly there is a need to differentiate these pain-related conditions from ones that do not feature pain. However, pain-related effects may not manifest directly in a primary behavior complaint, but rather they may moderate a pre-existing behavioral condition or present unusual signs in association with a case.…”

“…The latter is noted by Barcelos et al [2] in relation to dogs showing aggressive behavior, with those in chronic pain tending to show aggressive behavior towards a wider range of subjects (familiar and/or unfamiliar, humans and/or dogs). Fagundes and colleagues [3], in a qualitative analysis of noise sensitive dogs with and without musculoskeletal pain, identified several factors relating to the nature of the response that might be suggestive of pain involvement. In particular, there appeared to be a greater tendency to avoid a very wide range of locations associated with the noise in these animals compared to non-pain controls.…”