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Updated: Mar 2, 2026
Assessment of Sensory Thresholds in Dogs Using Mechanical and Hot Thermal Quantitative Sensory Testing
Published on: October 26, 2021
Replicate effects and test-retest reliability of quantitative sensory threshold testing in dogs with and without
David Knazovicky1, Erika S Helgeson2, Beth Case1
1Comparative Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate replicate effects and test-retest reliability of mechanical and thermal quantitative sensory testing (QST) in normal dogs and dogs with osteoarthritis (OA)-associated pain.
Study Design:
A prospective clinical study.
Animals:
A total of 54 client owned dogs (OA, n=31; controls, n=23).
Methods:
Mechanical [electronic von Frey (EVF) and blunt pressure] and thermal (hot and cold) sensory thresholds were obtained in dogs with OA-associated pain and control dogs at two visits, 7 days apart, to assess test-retest reliability. Thresholds were measured at the OA-affected joint (hip or stifle), over the tibial muscle and over the midpoint of the metatarsals. Five replicates were obtained for each modality at each site bilaterally.
Results:
Overall, there was no significant effect of replicates on QST response. EVF thresholds were significantly lower at the second visit in OA dogs at the affected and metatarsal sites (p=0.0017 and p=0.0014, respectively). Similarly for control dogs, EVF thresholds were significantly lower at the second visit at the metatarsal site (p=0.001). Significantly higher hot thermal latencies were seen in OA dogs at the affected and tibial testing sites (p=0.014 and p=0.012, respectively), and in control dogs at the tibial site (p=0.004).
Conclusions:
In QST, a replicate does not show a strong effect. However, QST results show variability over time, particularly for EVF and hot thermal stimuli.
Clinical Relevance:
If QST is to be used clinically to evaluate a sensitized state, the variability over time needs to be accounted for in the study design.
