What’s it like to take your dog to the vet? Do they happily snarf up treats from the staff, seemingly oblivious to the sticks and pokes? Or does it take a whole team to hold down your dramatic pup to take routine blood work?

As it turns out, your dog’s sensitivity to pain might have a lot to do with their breed. Learn what researchers found in a recent study about pain tolerance in different dog breeds and what this can mean for managing pain in your pup.
 

How Researchers Measured Pain Tolerance in Dogs

In the 2023 North Carolina State University study, a total of 149 dogs of 10 popular dog breeds were chosen to participate. The study used a combination of owner-reported, veterinarian-reported, and experimental data to assess how dogs may perceive pain differently.

Researchers applied heat or pressure to the dog’s paw using a blunt probe, removing the stimulus and recording a reaction when the dog would vocalize or pull their paw away. The researchers also assessed the dogs’ emotional sensitivity, noting how they reacted to unusual stimuli - a stuffed monkey - and whether they chose to interact with strangers.
 

Which Dog Breeds Are The Most Sensitive To Pain?

In the experiment, smallest dogs consistently ranked the lowest when it came to pain tolerance. It seemed that the Chihuahua and Maltese were the most sensitive, quickly reacting to painful stimuli.

The German Shepherd and Husky, while considered large breeds, showed moderate pain tolerance on the lower end of the scale, yet were found to be less sensitive than the smaller breeds.

The Border Collie, Boston Terrier and Jack Russell Terrier were found to have average pain tolerance compared to the other breeds in the study.

The Labrador and Golden Retriever breeds, as well as the Pit Bull showed the highest pain tolerance.
 

Why Are Some Dogs More Sensitive Than Others?

It’s possible that working breeds, especially the Labrador and Golden Retrievers, were bred with a preference for high pain tolerance. Their ability to ignore the sting of freezing water and stinging underbrush could greatly affect their performance as waterfowl hunting companions.

There was some correlation between dogs that were fearful and emotionally sensitive and those that were highly sensitive to pain. This suggests that stress and anxiety may contribute to pain sensitivity.
 

What This Study Revealed About Dogs And Pain Tolerance

One of the most intriguing discoveries made was the fact that our perception of a dog’s pain sensitivity isn’t always accurate. Veterinarians, who see a variety of dog breeds at their practice, were naturally more skilled at identifying which breeds were more sensitive than the average pet owner surveyed.

However, Huskies, while believed to be among the breeds most highly sensitive to pain, were somewhat less sensitive than expected. Dogs that showed more emotional sensitivity were more likely to be perceived as having low pain tolerance, though this only sometimes turned out to be true.
 

The Takeaway

This study is one of many that contribute to our deeper understanding of how and why dogs react differently to pain, and how individualized treatment techniques may be needed to provide the highest standard of care to every dog.

As pet parents, it’s important to understand how anxiety can contribute to pain and discomfort during potentially stressful situations, like a vet visit, and focus on caring for our dogs’ physical and emotional well-being.

When it comes down to it, all dogs, even those that are reportedly less sensitive, deserve pain management for both acute pains like after injury and when recovering from surgery, as well as chronic issues like osteoarthritis.

If your dog is struggling with pain, talk to your veterinarian or schedule a same day virtual appointment today to talk to a vet about the best pain management options for your dog.