Table 3.
Animal pain perception scores given by veterinary students (n = 213), overall, and in study years 1, 3 and 5, based on a scale from 0: pain causes only reflexes–10: pain is subjectively experienced. Results are given as median (min-max). P-values indicate a difference between study years (n.s. for p > 0.1 and #, *, **, for p < 0.1, p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively).
| Animal | Overall Median (Min–Max) | 1st Year n = 119 |
3rd Year n = 38 |
5th Year n = 61 |
Sign. Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chimpanzee | 10 (7–10) | 10 (8–10) | 10 (7–10) | 10 (8–10) | n.s. |
| Dolphin | 10 (5–10) | 10 (5–10) | 10 (5–10) | 10 (8–10) | n.s. |
| Cat | 10 (5–10) | 10 (5–10) | 10 (7–10) | 10 (8–10) | # |
| Pig | 10 (6–10) | 10 (6–10) | 10 (6–10) | 10 (8–10) | n.s. |
| Lion | 10 (5–10) | 10 (5–10) | 10 (7–10) | 10 (8–10) | n.s. |
| Cattle | 10 (5–10) | 10(5–10) a | 10 (5–10) ab | 10(7–10) b | * |
| Budgerigar | 10 (2–10) | 9 (2–10) a | 10 (3–10) b | 10(5–10) b | ** |
| Octopus | 7 (1–10) | 7 (1–10) | 8 (1–10) | 7 (2–10) | n.s. |
| Fish | 7 (1–10) | 6 (1–10) a | 8 (1–10) b | 7 (2–10) b | ** |
| Bee | 4 (1–10) | 3 (1–10) a | 5 (1–10) ab | 6 (1–10) b | * |
| Spider | 4 (0–10) | 3 (0–10) a | 4 (1–10) ab | 5 (0–10) b | * |
| Fly | 3 (0–10) | 3 (0–10) a | 4 (1–10) ab | 4 (1–10) b | * |
| Earthworm | 3 (0–10) | 2 (0–10) a | 4.5 (1–10) b | 4 (1–10) b | * |
| Average * | 7.5 (3.3–10) | 7.2 (3.3–10) a | 7.7 (4.8–10) ab | 7.8 (5.5–10) b | ** |
* average (min-max) pain perception score for all animals; a, b Values within rows lacking common superscript letters differ.