Dogs that show fear or anxiety when faced with loud or sudden noises
should be routinely assessed for pain by veterinary surgeons, a new
study has found. Animal behavioural scientists examined cases of dogs
which had developed a sensitivity to loudness, different pitches or
sudden noises, and found that those that also had associated musculoskeletal pain formed a greater sensitivity to noise.
The study suggested that there could be association between a fear
of noises and underlying pain. The researchers believe that pain, which
could be undiagnosed, could be exacerbated when a noise makes the
dogs tense up or “start”, putting extra stress on muscles or joints which
are already inflamed, causing further pain. That pain is then associated
with a loud or startling noise, leading to a sensitivity to noise and avoidance of situations where they had previously had a bad experience.
Researchers say that veterinary surgeons should ensure that all
dogs with behaviour problems associated with noise receive a thorough physical examination to see if pain could be a factor in their
fear or anxiety, so that undiagnosed pain could be treated, and the
behavioural issue tackled. All the dogs that had pain and were treated
showed an improvement of their behaviour. The findings have been
published by Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
