Just like people, dogs have endocannabinoids systems that can process compounds like CBD and benefit from them. With some basic knowledge of pet-safe CBD products, you can relieve your dog of aches and pains, anxiety, reduce seizures, and much more. In this guide, you’ll get to know the vet-approved options you have when it comes to treating arthritis specifically.
Arthritis in Dogs
It’s unfortunate that roughly one in five dogs will experience arthritis within their lifetime. Genetics, inactive lifestyle, and certain injuries can all add up to inflammation and deterioration of cartilage within their joints as they age. Sometimes, the friction between these joints can lead to excessive bone growth and produce bone spurs, which are also painful. Signs and symptoms of your dog experiencing arthritis include lethargy, lack of playfulness, difficulty getting up and down, sleeping more, and weight gain. Many conditions can cause these signs though, so it’s important to confirm with a vet that it’s arthritis-related before trying various treatments. It’s also vital that you follow your vet’s recommendations for your dog when consulting them about CBD.
What to Know About pet CBD oil
Using the Canine Brief Pain Inventory score and the Hudson activity score, this study was able to evaluate that just 2 mg of CBD twice a day decreased pain and increased activity in dogs with osteoarthritis. It showed that implementing just a tiny amount of oil in your dog’s food can completely turn around their behavior and improve their quality of life! Many pet owners swear by it since it’s non-psychoactive and won’t cause the digestive or liver problems that many pharmaceuticals can cause.
You’ll want to keep in mind to only choose products designed for dogs and to never use anything that has a significant amount of THC in it (only use hemp-derived oils). Dogs are much more sensitive to it and can only use items with less than 0.3% THC. Always go for products made in the U.S. to avoid anything that was made with illegal pesticides or other toxins. Also, look that it has a certificate of analysis (CoA) which is issued by an accredited, third-party laboratory. This document should include all the information on the cannabinoid makeup of your purchase. If you find that the company doesn’t have a certificate for their items, it’s advised that you don’t buy it.
Finally, make sure to watch your dog carefully the first time they ingest CBD. Read instructions for the product to figure out the appropriate dosage for your dog’s weight; typically, you’ll need 1-5 mg of CBD per 10 lbs of body weight.
Best CBD Oils for Your Dog
Before looking into which oil to buy, first, consider the size of your dog. Look for a label with the right serving size for your dog. Remember that just a small amount can go a long way and make oil a worthy investment.
One of our top recommendations for arthritis is Honest Paws CBD Wellness oil uses organic hemp alongside a bit of turmeric, which has proven anti-inflammatory properties. It contains full spectrum CBD, meaning that the whole terpene profile, flavonoids and other beneficial vitamins and minerals are preserved when processed. It also means that there are very trace amounts of THC, which can enhance the effectiveness of cannabidiol.
CBDfx pet oil uses broad spectrum CBD oil, meaning that it has all the components of full spectrum CBD but without trace amounts of THC. It comes in various sizes for different-sized breeds, like many brands do, but it has bacon flavor! This tincture is popular among dog parents for the fact that it’s both organic and solvent-free; this means the extract was made with pressurized CO2 rather than other harsh chemicals that can be tricky to remove.
Another highly-rated one to consider is Cornbread Full Spectrum CBD; it’s great for dogs due to its delicious corndog flavor- which is way easier on the palette than hemp- while also containing no preservatives or additives.
With many options to choose from, it’s difficult to say which oil is the absolute best for your pet. So long as it is thoroughly tested and accredited, CBD can make a world of difference for their arthritis and allow them to be pain-free!
