Feline arthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis, causes inflammation and pain in a cat’s joints. Felines with arthritis often show a number of symptoms, including decreased flexibility, discomfort, swelling of joints, lethargy, lameness, and overall stiffness. Also, cats with this disease might show subtle behavioral changes such as decreased activity, hesitancy to jump or run, growling and whining when being petted or picked up, weight loss, and lapsed litterbox habits due to pain. One of the questions that most people ask is whether CBD for pets can help with feline arthritis. Read on to find a comprehensive answer to this question.
But First – What Causes Feline Arthritis?
Some of the major causes of feline arthritis include:
- Injury
- Congenital abnormalities affecting joints
- Dislocation of the joint
- Severe infections, fungi, bacteria, and viruses
- Extra weight that puts extra strain on a cat’s joints
- Aging- as part of the aging process, joints degenerate naturally. As the cat gets older, the cartilage that forms a cushion between the bones at a joint deteriorates and becomes less flexible. This is one of the major causes of Feline arthritis.
Is Feline Arthritis Common?
Most people think that feline arthritis is not common. This is because cats rarely show signs of illness. According to studies, however, a majority of cats (up to 60%) of cats under the age of 6 years have arthritis in at least one joint. The study also shows that all cats over the age of 14 have an 80% chance of getting arthritis.
What Treatments Are Available For Feline Arthritis?
Factually, there is no cure for Feline arthritis. Vets often look for ways to minimize symptoms and improve the quality of life of the affected cats. To do this, they prescribe pain-relieving medications such as Novox, Deramaxx, Rimadyl, and more. These medications are non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Some vets recommend corticosteroids or opioids since they provide better relief from inflammation and chronic pain.
Can CBD Help With Feline Arthritis?
In case you have a cat that suffers from feline arthritis, you are probably wondering if CBD can be a good alternative to arthritis medication. The good news is, CBD has potential anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties; hence it could be a great option for your pet.
Inflammation is one of the key characteristics of arthritis. When your cat has this disease, the cartilage in the affected joints is damaged and doesn’t protect the bones’ end. Therefore, the bones in the affected joints start grinding and rubbing against each other. This makes the joints tender and inflamed and results in chronic pain. Chronic inflammation advances the degeneration of the joint. When you administer CBD to your cat, it could help breakdown inflammation that results from arthritis.
Some studies reveal CBD can help the body fight arthritis. In a study done in 2000, researchers induced arthritis in rodents. When the animals started showing signs, they administered CBD via intraperitoneal injection and orally. They found out that CBD helped in blocking the progression of this disease and cushioned joints against severe damage caused by chronic inflammation.
Apart from its anti-inflammatory properties, CBD has potential painkilling properties. Studies reveal that various cannabinoids, including CBD, can help alleviate both neuropathic and physical pain. This means that if you have a cat with arthritis or other joint issues, administering CBD products such as Roxy Pets Full Spectrum CBD for Cats could help reduce the intense and chronic pain that comes with it. Before you administer this product, make sure you seek guidance from a professional vet.
