Colder Ambient Temperatures Influence Acute Onset Canine Intervertebral Disc Extrusion

Abstract

Canine intervertebral disc disease is one of the most common neurologic conditions in veterinary medicine but the influence of environmental factors thereon has not been fully investigated. Subjectively, there has been the impression of increased admissions of acute spinal cord injuries due to intervertebral disc extrusion during periods of colder temperatures. In the present retrospective study, the different weather conditions (temperature, precipitation, sunshine, humidity, and atmospheric pressure) during the acute onset of clinical signs and a lag period of 3 days prior to the occurrence of symptoms were analyzed. One-hundred-and-one client owned dogs from the meteorological region of the Lake Geneva were presented to two referral centers during the 6-year (2007-2012) study period. Chondrodystrophic dogs represented 65.3% of our population, with the French Bulldog (19.8%) and Dachshund (17.8%) being the most common breeds. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified an increased occurrence of intervertebral disc disease during colder temperatures. Our results are congruent with those of human studies which have shown that lower ambient temperatures are associated with more pain and increased risk for muscle injuries. The interplay of endogenous (breed, anatomical characteristics) and exogenous (environmental) factors should be addressed in a larger cohort study.

CT-Scan Based Evaluation of Dorsal-to-Ventral Ratios of Paraspinal Musculature in Chondrodystrophic and Non-chondrodystrophic Dogs

“…Since IVDD has a multifactorial etiology, the collection of a wide range of further information, including other anatomical and morphological risk factors found in previous studies would be necessary. Furthermore, environmental influencing factors, activity level and occupation of the patient (working dog) should be included in the assessment of the real risk of IVDD for a specific patient ( 51 ). It would also be interesting to analyse if there are differences within chondrodystrophic breeds that have different vertebrae conformations (e.g.…”

Current Understanding of the Genetics of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

“…These differences reflect preferences for standard or miniature and variable hair characteristics in different countries. Risk factors including neuter status ( 45 , 50 ), physical conformation ( 44 , 47 – 50 ), axial muscle fascicle length ( 65 ), ambient temperature ( 66 ), hair characteristics ( 47 , 50 ), and exercise ( 46 , 50 ) have been reported with variable consistency in findings across studies.…”

Comparison of Imaging Methods and Population Pattern in Dogs with Spinal Diseases in Three Periods between 2005 and 2022: A Retrospective Study

“…Most dogs were admitted in the months of February, March, April, and May, followed by the autumn and winter months, when the ambient temperature tends to be lower. This is leading to spasms and changes in biomechanical forces [ 8 ], but the lower occurence may also be due to the fact that most people spend vacations during summer and warm months, and therefore, the number of recorded cases in dogs is lower. The effect of temperature on the occurrence of intervertebral disc disease observed in this study is also found in some human studies on a number of diseases, where lower ambient temperatures are associated with more pain in conditions such as osteoarthritis, pelvic pain syndrome, and musculoskeletal pain, and may also increase the risk of muscle injury.…”

“…In another study regarding dogs by Barandun et al (2020), the authors described the effect of cold temperatures on the mobility of the musculoskeletal system, whereas it also notably affected the spinal column. With both reduced mobility and resistance to strain injuries, biomechanical forces could act differently or more traumatically on the spine, although this is purely speculative [ 8 ].…”