Many pet owners misinterpret their pet\u2019s decreased activity as \u201cjust getting old.\u201d But old age is not a disease\u2014pain is. When the temperature drops, blood vessels constrict and muscles tighten to retain heat, leading to increased stiffness and pain in joints that are already affected by wear and tear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you know if your animal is in pain?
Animals are experts at hiding pain. It's a survival instinct. That's why we as pet owners have to be detectives, especially during the winter months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Signs in the dog:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Signs in the cat (often harder to see):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 3 tips to help seniors this winter If you suspect your senior is in pain, the next step is a veterinary evaluation. But for an older dog or cat with body aches, the trip to the clinic can be a pain. Being lifted into a cold car, riding in a transport cage, and then slipping around on slippery clinic floors creates unnecessary stress and pain. In addition, the stress boost (adrenaline) causes the animal to temporarily \u201cforget\u201d the pain inside the vet, making it more difficult to make the correct diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you suspect that the cold is causing it for your old friend?<\/strong> Book a senior check-up via Vetathome today, and we'll help give your furry friend a pain-free and cozy winter. (edited)<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" January 2026 brings bitter cold in large parts of the country. While we humans can put on an extra sweater, our older animals have it tougher. Cold and damp are the archenemies of stiff joints. Does your dog or cat look a little extra tired and stiff right now? It could be a sign of osteoarthritis that needs to be treated.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10270,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insikter","category-kunskap"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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To relieve the discomfort, you can make some simple adjustments to your everyday life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
That's why many people choose Vetathome for senior check-ups:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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