A major double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will study CBD on joint mobility in dogs

Dixie Brands Inc. (Denver, CO) has announced that one of its hemp-based canine supplements will form the basis of a clinical trial conducted by the Veterinary Clinical Investigations Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. The largest scale trial conducted on pets to have commenced to date, the trial will evaluate the effectiveness of hemp-based natural supplements on joint mobility in dogs suffering from inflammation secondary to osteoarthritis.

In the double-blind placebo-controlled trial, dogs will be randomized to receive either a proprietary veterinarian-specific hemp-based formula called “Mobility,” from Dixie subsidiary Therabis, cannabidiol alone, or placebo. The researchers aim to include 20 dogs in each group and will incorporate physical tests to establish quantitative measures of effectiveness. Additionally, researchers will be studying dogs’ front leg joints rather than the more commonly studied hip joints so that the trial’s results can be readily extrapolated into other joints since the inflammatory process is equivalent.

The Therabis Veterinarian Formula that will be used in the study is an enhanced version of its Up and Moving product, which the company intends to exclusively offer to veterinary clinics. Up and Moving is available in single-serving sachets as well as chewable format, and contains hemp oil (with naturally-occurring CBD), green lipped mussel, vitamin C, chromium, and vitamin E.