Just like all human beings, animals too can get a lot of the same ailments but the unfortunate thing is they can’t tell us, they can only show us. Noticeable actions such as limping, wobbling while standing, fatigue in pets, to name a few, can all be related to some sort of joint pain. That’s why it is always a good idea to keep a keen eye on your pets and go for a monthly check-up at the veterinary, as we do at the GP. As the saying goes “a dog is not just for Christmas”. When you invest in a pet, you should be treating it the same way you treat yourself – equally.
Online sources suggest that there is no one-fit cure for all chronic illnesses in animals and neither is there one for just osteoarthritis or arthritis in dogs. However, what they did find through one such study https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2018.00165/full, was that introducing 2mg (per kg of weight) of the oil twice daily did help improve their activity levels and increased their comfort too. The least we can do is bring them some relief from the pain and discomfort. Surgery being the last resort, we can try everything else like pain medication or we could try the more natural options such as introducing CBD Oil to their diet.
The metabolic path-way of CBD Oil is similar to the one of anti-inflammatory drugs, and as such the logic would be that it would provide the same relief to our pets as it does to us, humans. Turns out, Osteoarthritis also known as Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) is a very common condition in dogs and one in four dogs is diagnosed with it; this is a staggering 60% of four-legged companions in all households. Other known common conditions in dogs are anxiety, seizures, and cancer.
As a holistic approach, the introduction of the oil into our pet’s food and treats or just plain old drops on the tongue, has seen some pet owners vouching for it. while the FDA has not approved any dosages for it, the common advice from experts is to introduce it a little at a time otherwise there are side effects that can harm the dog such as drowsiness, vomiting, diarrhea, and itching. So, one needs to be very careful when diving into this idea.
Every animal has what’s known as an endocannabinoid system which is responsible for maintaining the body’s healthy balance. The composition of these receptors enables communication throughout the body in controlling its overall health and in promoting its overall healing. As a type of cannabinoid, CBD oil similarly stimulates these receptors and triggers specific responses in the body. This communication, in turn, controls the immune system response, and the oil along with the treatments like dog cryotherapy, helps in maintaining its balance.
The thing to note here is even though dogs experience joint pain as humans do, theirs is a different kind i.e. they are susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia. So as a natural pain reliever, it has been known to fight joint-pain in our pets and bring them some relief. For the most part, they will still have the underlying condition but without the discomfort of endless pain, which means they will be able to run and jump around freely and enjoy themselves, as opposed to sitting around and not being able to do anything all day. Find out more about this here.
Opting for surgery for ailments like these can be an expensive decision, not to mention it may not be necessary either, and giving them steroids can have irreversible side-effects. Some pet owners deprive their pets of food because they think their weight has something to do with it, but this too is not the right way to handle these conditions. Switching to a natural option for a few weeks to see if it makes any difference, is the best thing you can do for your dog and yourself. If there has been no change at all, then seek your veterinary doctors’ advice.
Last but not the least piece of advice we can give you is, when choosing a product for your companion, make sure you look out for the ones that are 100% THC free.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website's content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra's expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
