As many as one in five dogs in the US experience arthritis at some point throughout their lives. Senior-aged dogs are the most affected group, which makes sense, as arthritis is a degenerative joint disease. Arthritis in dogs, like in humans, causes stiffness, discomfort, and pain in the joints, disrupting their quality of life.
Signs that your dog may have arthritis include trouble getting up, getting tired easily, and seeming stiff in general. Luckily, new research indicates that there may finally be a promising treatment for canine arthritis: CBD.
Dog Arthritis
Arthritis in general occurs in a fifth of dogs, though the most common type is osteoarthritis, or damage to the protective cartilage over the bones of a joint. It causes friction between bones because there is no more cartilage buffer, and it can cause a lot of pain and decreased mobility.
Most commonly, it affects a dog’s hips, elbows, knees, wrists, and lower back, though it could happen to any joint. There is no cure for arthritis, including canine arthritis, as of yet.
How do dogs get arthritis?
Many factors can lead to arthritis in dogs. These include aging, obesity, intense activity that puts a lot of stress on the joints, old injuries, repeated injuries to the same joints, joint disorders like hip or elbow dysplasia, and metabolic diseases.
The symptoms of arthritis in dogs are much the same as they are in humans. The stiffness in their movements becomes noticeable, they limp, especially after resting, they are less active and sleep more, they are less inclined to walk, climb stairs, or run, or they are overall irritable. If you notice these symptoms, take your dog to the veterinarian to confirm that it’s arthritis.
New Research Says CBD May Be The Answer To Canine Arthritis
Up until recently, the only evidence for the effectiveness of CBD for managing arthritis pain in dogs had been anecdotal reports. However, a randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical study from April 2020 on the effects of CBD on canine osteoarthritis showed highly promising results.
The client-owned dogs in the study were either given 20 to 50 mg of CBD or a placebo. Both the dog owners and veterinarians assessed the dogs throughout the period of the study. Neither the veterinarians assessing the dogs nor the clients knew which dogs had been given CBD and which had been given a placebo.
Of the ten dogs who received CBD, nine of them, or 90 percent, showed pain reduction and enhanced mobility, which is huge. Plus, those improvements were noted to last two weeks beyond the period of the trial. The ten dogs that received the placebo showed no significant improvements.
The study’s researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine ensured the dogs were all well-monitored throughout the trial, assessing the dogs’ blood count as well as blood indicators of kidney and liver function. The results showed no noteworthy impact through the use of CBD over the four weeks of the study.
Big News For Our Furry Friends
Up until this point, the only science-backed treatment for canine arthritis was nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which were not always effective and could lead to kidney, liver, or digestive issues.
The findings from this study show that CBD, a derivative of the cannabis plant, has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can significantly and safely improve pain and mobility in dogs with osteoarthritis. More studies are needed to confirm these results, but it could be soon that vets are finally allowed to give the green light to dog owners whose furry family members suffer from arthritis.
Jess Lakritz 