Is 115-120 dB Loud Noise Harmful to Dogs and Humans?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the potential harm caused by loud noises, specifically 115-120 dB sounds, to both dogs and humans. Participants explore the physiological differences in hearing sensitivity and pain thresholds between species, as well as the implications of using loud sounds as deterrents for dogs.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether dogs experience more pain or damage from loud sounds compared to humans, given their greater range and sensitivity to sound.
  • There is uncertainty about whether increased sensitivity to lower volumes correlates with a lower threshold for discomfort in dogs.
  • One participant suggests that scientific inquiry is needed to investigate the relationship between amplitude and pain threshold in dogs, proposing EEG as a potential method for study.
  • Another participant distinguishes between pain and damage, noting that while loud sounds can cause pain, they may not necessarily lead to hearing damage, especially with chronic exposure.
  • Some participants highlight that dogs can produce loud barks, suggesting that they may not be as adversely affected by loud noises as some believe.
  • There is a mention of the potential for mechanical vibrations from sound waves affecting dogs differently due to their ear structure.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the impact of loud noises on dogs versus humans, with no consensus reached on whether dogs are more susceptible to harm from such sounds.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of empirical data on pain thresholds and hearing damage in dogs compared to humans, as well as the need for further research to clarify these relationships.

DocToxyn
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I've been watching a discussion on another forum regarding the use of loud horns to deter dogs from chasing bikes. Some dissenters say that it is cruel since dogs can "hear so much better than humans" and such loud sounds can injure them. My question is, is it better stated that dogs have a greater range and sensitivity (lower threshold) for sound that humans do and they aren't necessarily going to be negatively impacted by an equivalently loud noise? In other words if I'm exposed to a 115-120 db blast (roughly what the horn in question can produce) am I less, more, or just as likely to suffer injury than a dog exposed to the same noise? Any insights?
 
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Thanks, cronxeh, I found that one myself after posting the question. I'm still not sure I'm convinced that the dog would feel more pain than a human, or feel pain sooner with an increasing volume. Obviously dogs have a wider range of frequencies that they can hear compared to humans, so they most likely have hair cells that respond to those frequencies and/or the shape of the cochlea facilitates reception of said frequencies. Is the "volume sensitivity" of the system a fixed range? In other words, if you make the ear more sensitive to lower volumes, do you also lower the threshold at which discomfort is reached? I guess I need to do some more digging, maybe look for auditory startle responses in dogs versus humans.
 
I think there is some serious scientific inquiry that needs to be done into that

I don't even know how to begin doing the amplitude vs pain threshold test on the dogs. Perhaps using EEG? I guess you would need to compare EEG of a pain stimuli (an electric shock?) and compare that with dB stimuli to draw a conclusive result, but either way I have a dog and Technics RP DH 1200 headphones, but no EEG, so I can't really help you on this one, DOc :biggrin:

Oh and I'm pretty sure just by their physiology their sensitivity should go down vs frequency or should raise but definitely not stay constant
 
The other issue is pain vs damage. One may experience pain but not neccessarily accrue damage. Typical hearing damage occurs during chronic exposure to noise, of course the louder the noise the less exposure one needs to get damage. The horn used on dogs puts out about 115 dB which the American Academy of Otology - Head and Neck Surgery http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/hearing/noise_hearing.cfm" equates to a car horn or rock concert and allows a maximum of 15minutes of unprotected exposure per day (when was the last concert you went to that was only 15 min?:bugeye: :cry: ). So in terms of humans, the horn blast is probably OK, but if for some reason the dog has a lower pain/damage threshold, then maybe it could result in injury. The search continues...
 
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Dogs themselves can bark pretty loud when they feel like it, so it can't cause them that much discomfort surely? Just a thought.
 
matthyaouw said:
Dogs themselves can bark pretty loud when they feel like it, so it can't cause them that much discomfort surely? Just a thought.

I think mechanically vibrating sound waves would be outgoing from the dogs and due to their shape the amount of vibration reaching their own ears would be in 80% range at most
 

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