CBD Oil Was Well Tolerated in Dogs With Osteoarthritis, Clinical Trial Finds
- Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study on 10 dogs with osteoarthritis to evaluate the effects of oral CBD oil.
- Pain and mobility were assessed using validated tools like the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (HCPI), Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) questionnaire, and Canine Osteoarthritis Staging Tool (COAST), revealing modest changes in pain scores without reliable evidence that CBD reduces osteoarthritis pain.
- A post-study power analysis suggested that future trials would need between 24 and 132 dogs to detect potential treatment effects, depending on the pain measurement tool and effect size.
- CBD oil was generally well tolerated, with only one dog experiencing mild, self-resolving diarrhea, and no other significant adverse effects were observed during the four-week treatment period.
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil was well tolerated by dogs with osteoarthritis, according to a new clinical trial.
Researchers from University College Dublin conducted the randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study, which has been posted as a preprint while under consideration by Irish Veterinary Journal.
The study involved 10 dogs with osteoarthritis confirmed through diagnostic imaging. Each dog completed a four-week period receiving oral CBD oil and a four-week period receiving a placebo, with a four-week washout period between treatments.
The crossover design allowed each dog to serve as its own control, helping researchers compare how the same animal responded to CBD and placebo.
Pain and mobility were assessed using several validated tools, including the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (HCPI), the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) questionnaire and the Canine Osteoarthritis Staging Tool, known as COAST and COASTeR. The first two rely largely on assessments from dog owners, while the COAST tools incorporate clinical evaluations.
Researchers found that changes in pain-related scores were generally modest. The HCPI and LOAD measurements showed greater variation within individual dogs than the COAST and COASTeR assessments.
The findings therefore did not establish that CBD reliably reduced osteoarthritis pain. Instead, the researchers said the results demonstrate how many dogs would likely be needed for a study capable of detecting a potential treatment effect.
A post-study power analysis estimated that future trials would require between 24 and 132 dogs, depending on which pain measurement was used and the size of the effect researchers sought to detect.
CBD was generally well tolerated during the four-week treatment period. One dog experienced mild diarrhea that resolved without treatment, while no other clinically relevant adverse effects were reported.
“Oral CBD oil was well tolerated in dogs with osteoarthritis,” the researchers concluded, adding that the preliminary findings provide estimates that can be used to design adequately powered studies.
The CBD and placebo oils were supplied by a commercial hemp company. Researchers said the supplier had no role in designing the study, collecting or analyzing the data, interpreting the findings or preparing the manuscript. The authors reported no competing interests.