Veterinary education and experience shape beliefs about dog breeds Part 1: Pain sensitivity

Over 95% of veterinarians report believing that dog breeds differ in pain sensitivity. Ratings made by veterinarians differ from those of the general public, suggesting these beliefs may be learned during veterinary training or clinical experiences. Therefore, the current study’s primary objective was to evaluate dog breed pain sensitivity ratings during veterinary training and compare these ratings to those of the general public and undergraduates in animal-health related fields. Using an online survey, members of the general public, undergraduates, veterinary students across all four years, and veterinary faculty and staff rated pain sensitivity of 10 different dog breeds, identified only by their pictures. Compared to the general public and undergraduates, veterinary students rated pain sensitivity across breeds of dog more similarly to veterinary faculty and staff. Further, when undergraduates had clinical experience, they also rated certain dog breeds in a similar way to the veterinary students and professionals. Our findings suggest that veterinary education and clinical experiences influence pain sensitivity ratings across dog breeds. Future research should identify how these pain sensitivity beliefs are communicated and whether these beliefs affect recognition and treatment of pain by veterinarians.