As your four-legged companion gets older, general body stiffness and pain tend to increase, sometimes at a rapid pace.
In some cases, genetics leave animals at a predisposition for the development of aching, painful bones and joints. In other cases, trauma can leave an animal in need of effective pain relief.
Many pet owners are actively seeking natural ways to ease their animal’s discomfort without the potentially harmful adverse reactions of conventional medications.
Animal arthritis
Just as in humans, arthritis can also affect animals. Arthritis is a general term for irregular variations and changes in joints. There are several different types of arthritis that animals can have, but the most commonly diagnosed is osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease. Joint conditions, including arthritis, involve the following symptoms that can leave your pet feeling unlike its usual self:
- General stiffness
- Disinterest in walks and exercise
- Reluctance to stand
- Moving slowly and cautiously
- Lethargy
- Increased sleep
- Abnormal movements
- Decreased mobility
- Timidity when getting on the bed, couch or into the car
- Visible joint deformities
- Swollen joints
- Aggression when arthritic joints are touched
- Personality changes (irritability or depression)
- Intermittent lameness
- Weight gain
Trauma
Another reason your animal may experience joint and nerve-related pain could be due to trauma. While the trauma itself can range in severity and can fluctuate due to the species and age of the animal, it will more than likely require some form of medical intervention.
Dangers of conventional pain medication
A quick trip to your veterinarian will likely leave you with a slew of conventional medicines in hand. The medications will be primarily NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). While NSAIDs are believed to effectively reduce pain and its associated inflammation, they come with a laundry list of side effects from liver failure to kidney disease to—in some cases—death. Can you imagine bringing your dog into a vet’s office for their aching joints and days later return due to a horrific, potentially irreversible condition?
This is not to say that in some cases conventional drugs won’t be necessary; however, many pet owners have found themselves wondering if there might be another option that doesn’t involve possible adverse reactions. What else can you do for an animal in pain?
Chiropractic care for canines
As a field of animal health care, chiropractic aims to preserve the health of the neuro-musculoskeletal system. Animal chiropractic care allows for a drug-free, non-surgical option for repairing and correcting bone, disc, and soft-tissue disorders associated with abnormal spinal configuration and movement.
Chiropractic care for animals has proven remarkably effective at improving the quality of life for so many. From canine chiropractic care for dogs to equine chiropractic treatment for horses, medical professionals in the field are finding that with the appropriate method of therapy, animals once restricted to the couch or barn have the opportunity to run again.
CBD for canines
If you are up to date on the latest friends in holistic wellness, you’ve likely heard of cannabidiol (CBD). It’s been making exceptional headway in the world of holistic health and is continuing to prove an effective treatment for a wide range of ailments. Furthermore, CBD is proving that it may be a means to not only reduce but potentially eliminate the need for many conventional medications.
What you may not have heard is that CBD has also proven to be extremely effective at treating animals. CBD has shown to have the following benefits for not only humans but also their pets:
- Treats anxiety disorders (associated with travel, vet visits, separation, etc.)
- Significantly reduces or eliminates pain (both chronic and acute due to inflammation, trauma, aging, etc.)
- Treats those suffering from epilepsy and seizure disorders
- Reduces chronic inflammation and autoimmune disease
- Supports heart health
- Diminishes the formation and spread of cancer cells
- Reduces the nausea and side effects of conventional medications
- Boosts the immune system and supports overall wellness
- Reduces environmental and seasonal allergies
Because CBD is derived from the hemp plant, it has less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In other words, your animal won’t feel “high.” Instead, they will be able to receive all of the medicinal benefits of the herb and, in many cases, eliminate the need for conventional medications. And CBD products for canines include drops that can be added to food, treats, and chews, making administration pleasant for the owner.
How CBD and chiropractic work together
As research continues to emerge about the benefits of CBD, it has led to more people turning to a holistic approach to healing through the conjunction of chiropractic care and CBD. CBD oil has proven to effectively decrease inflammation and pain which allows the chiropractor to better correct bone, disc and soft-tissue disorders.
CBD works to reduce pain-related symptoms by:
- Decreasing nerve-related pain
- Lessening neuropathic pain
- Lessening the impact of inflammation on oxidative stress
- Easing intestinal inflammation
- Diminishing the pain that arises from inflammation
- Easing inflammation in acute pancreatitis
Hand in hand with chiropractic care, the two make for an impressive duo. And the results speak for themselves. Case studies have demonstrated that animals that once were in too much pain to move are now back to their lively selves after being treated with both CBD and chiropractic care.
Additionally, chiropractic care and CBD can be used in conjunction as a preventive strategy. Your animal doesn’t need to presently be in pain to reap the benefits of these two natural treatment options. In fact, used in conjunction, chiropractic care and CBD can significantly reduce the possibility of your pet developing certain joint conditions and ultimately extend their pain-free life.
A final thought
At the end of the day, pets means the world to their owners. They will do anything to keep them free of pain and discomfort. That’s why the conjunction of chiropractic care and CBD is so revolutionary. In the foreseeable future, the need for conventional drugs may likely be lessened. After all, if you had a way to effectively and safely treat your dog in an all-natural, non-toxic way, why wouldn’t you?
Chelsea Rivera is a pet wellness blogger based in Los Angeles, CA. She is the Head of Content at Honest Paws, a company that offers dog owners a wide variety of CBD oil and CBD pet treats. In addition to her work, Chelsea spends her days getting bossed around by her 5-pound Maltipoo and trying to catch up on email.
