Revealed: Why dog joints can become rigid in colder months
Have you noticed that when it’s colder your body becomes a little creaky, a bit like the tin man?
Just like in humans, dog joints can also become rigid in the colder months.
For dogs with arthritis this can mean that winter can be a particularly difficult time.
Let’s start by considering the reasons why joints can become rigid in the cold.
There are several theories as to why this is:
Increased nerve sensitivity.
The first theory is that where cartilage has degenerated in the joint, there can be some nerve exposure. The nerves can then be more sensitive when the atmospheric pressure rises like the barometric pressure.
Contraction of ligaments.
Secondly, it’s thought that the muscles, tendons and ligaments that support the joint, contract and expand with the changing temperature. So this is thought to increase stiffness around the joints.
Synovial fluid becomes ‘harder’.
You may remember from your science class at school that in most of the joints there’s something called synovial fluid. This is a sticky joint fluid which helps to lubricate the joint.
In colder weather, synovial fluid can become thicker and therefore can increase some tension inside the joint and make the joints more stiff.
So these are some of the reasons why arthritic joints can become a little bit stiffer and more painful during cold weather.
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