A study published in Veterinary Evidence finds that cannabidiol (CBD) oil may provide additional pain relief for dogs with osteoarthritis when used alongside standard treatments.
Researchers analyzed four clinical studies examining whether oral CBD supplementation improves pain and mobility outcomes in dogs diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The studies included two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trials, along with two other prospective clinical trials.
Across the studies, CBD was evaluated using a range of measurement tools, including established pain scoring systems such as the Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI) and the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) scale, as well as veterinarian assessments. Researchers also looked at activity levels using tools like the Hudson activity scale and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), along with gait analysis and overall quality of life indicators.
The findings indicate that CBD oil provided additional pain relief when used alongside conventional treatments, particularly when assessed through subjective measures such as owner-reported pain scores and veterinary evaluations. These results suggest CBD may offer some benefit as a supplemental therapy for managing osteoarthritis-related discomfort in dogs.
However, the review notes that objective measurements—including formal activity tracking and gait analysis—did not show significant differences between dogs receiving CBD and those in control groups. Because of this discrepancy, researchers concluded that the current body of evidence does not strongly support the widespread use of CBD as an adjunct treatment.
The authors emphasize the need for more rigorous studies using objective measurement tools to better determine CBD’s effectiveness in improving both pain and mobility in dogs with osteoarthritis.
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