greennursevt
By Dionne Heyliger, BSN, RN (she/her)
Many people wonder if CBD can help their dog. Several recent studies have shown that there are benefits for dogs with osteoarthritis and dogs with epilepsy who are given CBD.
Let’s break it down.
Dogs, Osteoarthritis and CBD
A recent pharmacokinetic and clinical study conducted at Cornell suggests that two mg/kg of cannabidiol (CBD) oil twice daily “can help increase comfort and activity in dogs with osteoarthritis”.
Researchers tested pain management properties of CBD oil using a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study (the gold standard of research!). Dogs were treated for four weeks. The Hudson activity score (a visual analogue scale questionnaire used to assess pain and lameness in dogs) and the Canine Brief Pain Inventory score help determine response to treatment.
Dog owners answered questionnaires while veterinarians physically assessed the dogs. Both the Canine Brief Pain Inventory and Hudson activity scores boasted clinically significant reduction in pain and an increase in activity with veterinary assessments also showing that CBD oil reduced pain. No negative side effects were noted.
Dogs, Epilepsy and CBD
In 2016, a clinical trial at the Colorado State University led by Dr. Stephanie McGrath, a Neurologist at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, found that 89 percent of dogs with epilepsy (5.7% of the pet dog population worldwide – the most common canine neurologic condition), had a reduction in the frequency of seizures with administration of CBD.
Dogs were randomly assigned to the treatment or placebo group. Those in the treatment group received CBD oil for 12 weeks. “We saw a correlation between how high the levels of CBD oil were in these dogs with how great the seizure reduction was,” McGrath said.
McGrath described the ongoing research and current clinical trial, started in January 2018 as, “really exciting that perhaps we can start looking at CBD in the future as an alternative to existing anticonvulsive drugs,”
This research shows that CBD can be helpful in very specific cases, and more research is ongoing into the benefits of CBD for dogs.
What Does this Mean for My Dog?
As an avid mountain biker myself, my dogs get quite the workout running alongside the VT trails. NurseGrown Organics Pet CBD has been this nurse’s best friend’s, best friend! It helps them with post work out recovery, as well as with their separation anxiety when I work my long overnight nursing shifts. Happy, tired pups, make this nurse happy (and hey, as a night nurse, we are always tired!)
As always it is important to check with your veterinarian if you would like to begin a CBD regimen for your dog. If you do decide that CBD is something you would like to give your dog, make sure you are using full spectrum, organically grown CBD and follow dosage instructions.
Photos by Alvan Nee and Hannah Lim on Unsplash