Study Finds Arthritic Dogs Benefit from CBD Treatment

A recent study by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in collaboration with Medterra CBD found nine out of 10 dogs with osteoarthritis benefitted from CBD treatment. The study, published in the journal Pain, found the cannabinoid treatment reduced production in both inflammatory molecules and immune cells linked to arthritis, suggesting the study could support future scientific evaluation of CBD for human arthritis.

The researchers also determined that the effect of the CBD was quicker and more effective when it was delivered encapsulated in liposomes than when it was administered “naked.” Liposomes are artificially formed tiny spherical sacs used to deliver drugs and other substances into tissues at higher rates of absorption.

Dr. Matthew Halpert, research faculty in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Baylor, indicated that the “encouraging results” of the CBD remained for two weeks after the treatment stopped and that it seemed to be safe since they detected no alterations in the measured blood markers.

“We studied dogs because experimental evidence shows that spontaneous models of arthritis, particularly in domesticated canine models, are more appropriate for assessing human arthritis pain treatments than other animal models. The biological characteristics of arthritis in dogs closely resemble those of the human condition.” – Halpert in a statement

After four weeks of daily treatment, owners and veterinarians reported on the condition of the dogs – whether they observed changes in pain levels and changes related to running or gait. The placebo-controlled, double-blind, study enrolled 20 dogs total, 10 of which received a placebo.