We want the best for our canine pals.
Our furry friends fill us with joy and happiness. They are members of our family and beacons of light in our lives. Therefore, we prioritize their quality of life.
As dog owners, we spare no expense in ensuring optimal health for our doggos. So, we take them to the vet for regular checkups, feed them a nutritious diet, and ensure they’re getting enough exercise. Moreover, we spend countless hours training our pups to help best acclimate them to daily living.
The excellent behavioral and lifestyle habits you foster and cultivate with your pooches do wonders for their wellness.
All these extra efforts are more than worth it, too. Dog ownership is hard work that 100% pays off with years of companionship and loyalty.
Through proactivity and commitment, the dog/person relationship is life-affirming, fulfilling, and all those warm and fuzzy things.
However, many factors exist that you can’t prepare for with your dog. All the rigorous training in the world can’t entirely prevent certain conditions from rearing their ugly heads.
One of those conditions is dog arthritis, which can do a number on your doggo’s joints, hindering their quality of life.
What Is Dog Arthritis?
Dog arthritis (aka osteoarthritis or OA) entails the degeneration and inflammation of one joint or more.
This debilitating joint pain and inflammation will interfere with your doggo’s favorite activities and general living.
If your pooch shows signs of OA (which we’ll delve into later), it can be diagnosed via a physical examination. The vet will feel around with their fingers to localize pain and assess its intensity–a technique known as palpation. Also, the vet will likely take X-rays of your dog and use other similar diagnostic tools and imaging techniques.
Per Pet MD, a quarter of all dogs are diagnosed with arthritis. Some reports even estimate the total number of dogs with OA symptoms to be closer to 60%.
While there’s no cure for this chronic condition, there are ways to successfully manage the symptoms–like using the best CBD oil for dogs with arthritis.
What Causes Arthritis In Dogs?
Before we discuss the best CBD oil for dogs with arthritis, it’s necessary to peer into the chronic inflammatory condition and its nuances.
Causes of OA in dogs are often varying combinations of the following factors:
- A dog’s build (or body conformation).
- Obesity is correlated with OA.
- Abnormal development of the joints (e.g., hip/elbow dysplasia or luxating patellas).
- Nutritional history.
- Orthopedic surgery.
Some of these factors can be controlled, but several can’t. One fact that’s become clear for vets is that OA in dogs isn’t simply a sign of aging.
What Are Signs Of Dog Arthritis?
The most visible sign of dog OA is the struggle to get up and down. Still, there are more signs of this chronic condition.
To the above point, there’s a likelihood your dog is struggling with OA if they’re experiencing a combination of the following symptoms (beyond difficulty getting up and down):
- Stiff walking.
- Reluctance to walk up and down stairs.
- Reluctance to jump onto furniture, into/out of cars, etc.
- Averseness to being touched on some body parts.
- Stamina loss (you may have to cut walks short).
- Slower walking.
- Uncharacteristic aggression toward humans or other dogs.
How Is Arthritis In Dogs Usually Treated?
(Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. It’s only information from medical experts we’ve compiled through research. If your dog shows signs of arthritis, we strongly suggest taking them to your nearest vet clinic for assessment and following their specialized guidance.)
Dog OA isn’t treated as much as managed due to the lack of a cure. This isn’t meant to suggest you should throw up the white flag and let arthritis take hold. Symptoms can be vastly mitigated through various efforts.
One of the first strategies a vet typically suggests to mitigate symptoms is honing your dog’s nutrition. Specific foods provide joint support and help normalize your dog’s body’s condition and weight.
In some instances, vets will prescribe medical acupuncture to offset OA-related pain. Chiropractic and medical massage may also be suggested.
Your vet may refer you and your pup to a physical rehabilitation specialist. This approach is the pet version of physical therapy. It could incorporate therapeutic exercises, hydrotherapy (using an underwater treadmill), joint mobilization, therapeutic laser treatments, and more.
Many vets will first suggest non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These are often a first line of defense against OA symptoms, provided your doggo is an ideal candidate.
Occasionally, your dog will be prescribed a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drug over an NSAID. The two can’t mix, so it’s one or the other.
Vets sometimes prescribe amantadine, acetaminophen, and tramadol–but these aren’t all that effective.
In extreme cases, vets might suggest surgery to alleviate severe dog OA symptoms. Procedures for the condition include femoral head/neck osteotomy (FHO), total hip replacements, joint arthrodesis (fusion), etc. In exceptional cases, knee or elbow replacements could be an option.
Aside from these conventional approaches, an alternative method to manage arthritis symptoms has been making waves recently: CBD oil.
Is It Wise To Use CBD Oil For Dogs With Arthritis?
CBD and anti-inflammatory drugs share metabolic pathways.
Before going further, we'll note the best CBD oil for dogs with arthritis isn’t a magic bullet. All the same, research indicates that CBD can provide significant pain relief for dogs with OA if given two daily, appropriately-sized doses.
CBD allows owners of dogs with arthritis to avoid the high costs of NSAIDs and their potential side effects. Don’t only take our word for it, though. Speak with a vet about using CBD as part of your dog's overall OA symptom management plan.
With all this said, the question remains: What is the best CBD oil for dogs with arthritis?
Best CBD Oil For Dogs With Arthritis: What To Look For
Without question, the best CBD oil for dogs with arthritis is broad-spectrum CBD oil.
Broad-spectrum CBD ensures the raw hemp oil is subject to a secondary extraction. Thus, all traces of THC are extracted and removed. There are no psychoactive components to worry about. Only the plant’s healthy organic ingredients that support your pup’s overall wellness will be found in such products.
Moreover, the best CBD oil for dogs with arthritis will be free of residual solvents, heavy metals, microbes, and pesticides. Anything that isn’t organic comes with an array of detrimental side effects.
Another matter to consider is to avoid underspending and discount hunting. You don’t want to break the bank, and good deals are available–but bargain basement options typically carry the harmful ingredients discussed above. Also, ensure the manufacturer certifies the amount of CBD in the product.
There’s then the matter of ensuring you give your pup appropriately sized doses. For instance, larger dogs can benefit from a 1500 mg tincture. A 1000 mg tincture is more suitable for medium-sized pets, and 500 mg would be best for smaller pups with OA.
Regardless of your doggo’s size, we suggest starting with microdoses to gauge the response. Then, you can establish a more specific regime based on your furry friend’s needs.
For the above reasons, CBD is best purchased in tincture form for your pooch. Dog treats contain CBD, but a tincture allows you to adjust the dosage accordingly.
Do you want to learn more about the best CBD oil for dogs with arthritis? The team at Pakamana possesses high levels of expertise on the topic and would be glad to provide insights. Contact us today with any inquiries.