Hemp & CBD Oil for Dogs With Arthritis & Joint Pain — Backed by a Clinical Study

If your dog is slowing down on walks, hesitating at the stairs, or taking longer to get up in the morning, you're probably looking for something that actually helps — not just another bottle with big promises. Full-spectrum hemp (CBD) oil has become one of the most popular natural options pet owners reach for to support dogs with arthritis and joint pain, and at HempMy Pet we've done something almost no other brand has: we put our own hemp oil through a 90-day clinical trial with Colorado State University researchers. This page walks you through what arthritis looks like in dogs, what the research really shows, how hemp works in your dog's body, and how to choose and give it well.

Does Hemp Oil Really Help Dogs With Arthritis? What Our Clinical Trial Found

Most pet CBD brands point to someone else's research. We ran our own. HempMy Pet's first clinical trial was a 90-day study of 37 dogs living with chronic joint discomfort, overseen by Dr. Robin Downing, DVM of the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management, with Lori Kogan, Ph.D. and Peter W. Hellyer, DVM of Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Owners gave their dogs our full-spectrum hemp oil and rated their comfort and mobility every two weeks.

The results were striking: of the 32 dogs that completed the study, 30 (93%) showed a benefit, and 94% of owners reported their dog's quality of life had improved. The full study — "The Use of Cannabidiol-Rich Hemp Oil Extract to Treat Canine Osteoarthritis-Related Pain" — was published in the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. You can read the full published study (PDF) or see our clinical research overview, with independent coverage from BizWest.

It matters who ran it. Dr. Downing is an internationally recognized veterinary pain-management specialist: in 2005 she became only the third veterinarian in the world credentialed as a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management, she founded the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, and she was the AVMA's 2020 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year. Chronic joint pain is her life's work — which is exactly what this study examined. Read her full credentials →

See all of HempMy Pet's clinical research →

That university-backed research is the difference between hoping a product works and having real, owner-reported evidence behind it — and it's the foundation of every formula on this page.

Signs of Arthritis and Joint Pain in Dogs

Arthritis (most often osteoarthritis) is a progressive wearing-down of the joints that's especially common in senior dogs and larger breeds. Dogs are experts at hiding discomfort, so the early signs are easy to miss. Watch for:

• Stiffness or limping, especially after rest or first thing in the morning
• Hesitating at stairs, jumps, or the car — or needing a running start
• Slowing down on walks, lagging behind, or tiring quickly
• Licking or chewing at a joint, or new sensitivity to touch
• Less interest in play, or trouble settling into a comfortable position
• Subtle mood changes — more withdrawn or irritable than usual

Night-time is often where it shows up first. Joint discomfort is at its worst in the first seconds of standing, and a dog with sore joints rises and resettles repeatedly through the night. If your dog has started pacing after dark, we wrote a separate guide to the eight causes of night-time restlessness in older dogs — including how to tell joint discomfort apart from cognitive change, which look almost identical at 2 a.m. and call for completely different responses.

If you're seeing these signs, the first step is a vet visit to confirm what's going on. Once arthritis is diagnosed, hemp can become one part of a comfortable, active senior life — alongside the other steps we cover below.

How Hemp & CBD Work for Canine Joint Pain

Dogs — like all mammals — have an endocannabinoid system (ECS), a network of receptors (called CB1 and CB2) that helps regulate comfort, mood, sleep, and the body's inflammatory response. The cannabinoids in full-spectrum hemp interact with this system to support your dog's natural sense of balance and everyday comfort.

Because our oils are full-spectrum, the CBD works alongside minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBC plus natural terpenes — a cooperative effect researchers call the "entourage effect" — rather than relying on isolated CBD alone. For a veterinary-school overview of how CBD from hemp works in dogs, see Cornell University's Riney Canine Health Center.

What the Research Says About CBD for Dog Arthritis

Research into hemp and canine joint health is still young, but the signs are encouraging — and it's growing every year:

• HempMy Pet × Colorado State University (90-day trial): 37 dogs were enrolled; of the 32 that completed the trial, 30 (93%) showed a benefit and 94% of owners reported improved quality of life using our full-spectrum hemp oil.
• Cornell University (2018): A landmark study found that CBD at 2 mg per kg twice daily increased comfort and activity in dogs with osteoarthritis, compared to placebo, with no significant side effects.
• Veterinary consensus: The American Veterinary Medical Association is actively encouraging more controlled research; you can read its overview on cannabis use and pets.

The honest bottom line: hemp is not a cure for arthritis — nothing is — but a growing body of research, including our own university-supported trial, points to meaningful support for joint comfort and mobility in many dogs. If you want the protocols rather than the summary, we have laid out every dose used across the five published canine trials, side by side with their durations and outcomes.

What the Study Found About Gabapentin

One of the questions the trial set out to answer was whether dogs could stay comfortable on less pain medication after full-spectrum hemp oil was added to their routine. Twenty-three of the dogs were taking gabapentin, a prescription commonly used for chronic pain in dogs, when they enrolled.

Over the 90 days, under the supervision of veterinary pain specialist Dr. Robin Downing:

• 10 of those 23 dogs came off gabapentin entirely after the hemp oil was added to their pain-management protocol.
• Of the 13 dogs who stayed on it, 11 had their daily dose reduced.
• For the dogs whose dose was lowered rather than stopped, final doses ranged from 20% to 60% of the original.

The published paper reports it this way: "Of the 23 dogs that were taking gabapentin at the time of enrollment, 10 dogs were able to discontinue taking gabapentin after the addition of the CBD oil to their pain management protocols."

What this does and does not mean

This was a 90-day pilot study of 32 completing dogs with no placebo group, so it shows what happened in this group of dogs — not that hemp oil will reduce any individual dog's medication needs. It is a promising, honestly reported result, and it is a reason to have a conversation with your veterinarian, not a reason to act on your own.

Every medication change in this study was directed by the supervising veterinarian. Never reduce or stop a prescription your dog is taking. Gabapentin in particular should not be stopped abruptly. If you would like to explore whether hemp has a place alongside your dog's current plan, bring it up at your next appointment — and take the published paper with you.

How to have that conversation with your vet

• Bring the product and its certificate of analysis so your vet can see the exact cannabinoid content.
• Tell them the amount you are giving and when. Our serving guide works from your dog's weight.
• Ask whether your dog's other medications have any known interaction worth watching.
• Agree in advance on how you will judge whether it is helping — the study reassessed each dog every two weeks.
• Ask about a baseline blood panel if your dog will be on it long term.

Common questions about hemp and gabapentin

Can I give hemp oil at the same time as gabapentin?
In the study the dogs continued their existing prescriptions while hemp oil was added, with changes made only by the supervising veterinarian. Whether that is right for your dog is a question for your own vet, who knows their full history.

Will hemp let my dog stop taking gabapentin?
We cannot say that, and the study does not support saying it. What it reports is that 10 of 23 dogs in this trial were able to discontinue it, and 11 more reduced their dose, under veterinary supervision. Individual results will vary.

How long did it take?
Dogs were reassessed every two weeks across the full 90 days, and amounts were adjusted at each check. This was not an overnight change.

What was actually given?
The dogs in the trial received our 1000mg full-spectrum hemp seed oil — the same strain-specific extract we grow and formulate today. You can read the full methodology on our clinical trials page.

Watch Our Clinical Trial Videos with Dr. Robin Downing, DVM

Prefer to hear from other owners? Read their stories →

Researcher Credentials

This study was a collaborative effort between HempMy Pet™, Dr. Robin Downing — a world-renowned veterinary pain specialist and Hospital Director of the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, CO — and researchers Dr. Lori Kogan and Dr. Peter Hellyer of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University.

Why Full-Spectrum Hemp Quality Matters for Arthritis

For a dog dealing with daily joint discomfort, what's actually in the bottle matters more than the label on the front. Here's what separates a hemp oil worth giving from one that isn't:

Full-Spectrum, Never Isolate

Isolate is pure CBD stripped of everything else. Full-spectrum keeps the natural range of cannabinoids and terpenes intact, which most owners and researchers prefer for a more complete effect. We only make full-spectrum.

A Real Certificate of Analysis (COA)

A trustworthy brand publishes third-party lab results confirming the cannabinoid content and showing the product is clean — free of pesticides, heavy metals, and solvents — with THC under the legal 0.3%. Every HempMy Pet batch is third-party tested, and you can read the results. If you have never read one before, our encyclopedia explains what a certificate of analysis actually shows.

Seed-to-Sale, Grown in Colorado

Most "pet CBD" brands buy bulk extract from third parties — sometimes imported. We breed our own hemp genetics, grow them on our Colorado farm using organic practices, and formulate every batch in-house under human-grade standards. Nothing is sourced from overseas. That control is exactly what made it possible to stand behind a clinical trial.

The Right Carrier Oil

The carrier affects absorption and taste. Coconut (MCT) oil is prized for fast absorption, organic hemp seed oil adds omega fatty acids, and olive oil is gentle and palatable for big dogs. We offer all three so you can match the carrier to your dog.

How Much Hemp to Give a Dog With Arthritis

The golden rule is start low and go slow. For joint support, a common starting point owners and researchers use is roughly 1–2 mg of CBD per 10 lbs of body weight, once or twice daily — close to the 2 mg/kg twice-daily amount used in the Cornell osteoarthritis study. Begin on the low end, then adjust over a week or two based on how your dog responds.

General starting guide by weight:

Dog's Weight	Typical Daily Starting Range (CBD)
Up to 25 lbs	~2–5 mg
25–50 lbs	~5–10 mg
50–75 lbs	~10–15 mg
75 lbs+	~15–20 mg

Because the exact serving depends on the strength you choose, each product below has its own dosing-by-weight chart on its page — open the formula that fits your dog for precise guidance, or see our full serving size guide. If your dog takes other medications or has a health condition, check with your veterinarian before starting.

Hemp Oil, Omega-3s, and Joint Supplements: A Complete Plan

Hemp works best as part of a well-rounded approach to arthritis, not as the only tool. Veterinarians generally recommend managing canine joint pain from several angles at once:

• Maintain a healthy weight — extra pounds put direct load on sore joints; this is one of the highest-impact things you can do.
• Gentle, low-impact exercise — regular short walks and swimming keep joints mobile without overloading them.
• Omega-3 fatty acids — our hemp-seed and coconut carriers naturally provide omega fatty acids that support a healthy inflammatory response.
• Joint-support ingredients — many owners also use glucosamine or green-lipped mussel alongside hemp; our encyclopedia covers what each one is and what the evidence looks like.
• Veterinary pain management — for some dogs, NSAIDs or other medications prescribed by your vet are an important part of the plan; always tell your vet what supplements your dog takes.
• Full-spectrum hemp — for daily joint-comfort and mobility support, alongside the steps above.

Best HempMy Pet Formulas for Dogs With Arthritis & Joint Pain

For arthritis and joint support — most common in larger and senior dogs — these full-spectrum formulas are where most owners start:

1000mg Organic Hemp Seed CBD Oil for Dogs — Our flagship, most-potent dropper formula, ideal for large dogs over 50 lbs dealing with stiffness. Full-spectrum extract in organic hemp-seed carrier oil, third-party tested. $99. Shop the 1000mg Hemp Oil →

5000mg Full-Spectrum CBD Olive Oil — Maximum strength for the largest dogs (and horses), in gentle organic olive oil. The most cost-effective choice for big breeds needing higher daily servings. $199. Shop the 5000mg Olive Oil →

500mg Full-Spectrum CBD Coconut Oil — A fast-absorbing MCT coconut-oil formula for medium dogs; easy to mix into food. $89. Shop the 500mg Coconut Oil →

250mg Organic Hemp Seed CBD Oil for Dogs & Cats — Everyday full-spectrum support for small-to-medium dogs. $49. Shop the 250mg Hemp Oil →

Prefer treats? Our organic hemp dog treats are an easy alternative, and you can save with a bundle for ongoing daily support. See the full CBD hemp for dogs collection for every option, or shop our hemp for dog hip & joint mobility collection.

How to Give Hemp to a Dog With Arthritis

Oils are simple: drop the measured serving directly in your dog's mouth, or mix it into food or a favorite treat. For arthritis, consistency matters more than a single large dose — give it daily so your dog's endocannabinoid system has steady support, and give it time. Many owners begin noticing changes in comfort and movement within a couple of weeks of regular use. If you want the detail on what to expect and when, our encyclopedia entry on onset and duration covers time to peak, how long the effect lasts, and why food changes the numbers. If your dog won't take oil, the treats are an easy swap.

One timing note for night-time stiffness specifically: because an oil given by mouth takes roughly 30 to 60 minutes to reach its peak, the serving belongs with the evening meal rather than at midnight once your dog is already up and circling.

Is Hemp Safe for Dogs With Arthritis?

Hemp-derived products containing less than 0.3% THC are federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, and full-spectrum hemp at proper serving sizes is non-intoxicating — it will not get your dog "high." Hemp is generally well tolerated; if you give more than your dog needs, the most common signs are mild drowsiness, wobbliness, or loose stool, which pass on their own. That's exactly why we recommend starting low. We went through the published canine safety research study by study in our guide to hemp side effects in dogs, including the liver-enzyme question and what is known about drug interactions. Because arthritic dogs are often on other medications, talk with your veterinarian before starting hemp. For more owner-focused background, the American Kennel Club has a helpful overview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hemp oil good for dogs with arthritis pain?
Many owners use full-spectrum hemp oil to support joint comfort and mobility in dogs with arthritis. In our 90-day Colorado State University-supported clinical trial, 94% of owners reported their dog's quality of life improved. Quality matters — look for organic, full-spectrum, third-party-tested oil like ours.

How many dogs were in the HempMy Pet study?
37 dogs with chronic joint discomfort were enrolled. 32 completed the full 90 days, and of those, 30 (93%) showed a benefit. We report the enrolled, completed, and improved numbers separately because that's how the published paper reports them.

Did dogs in the study reduce their gabapentin?
Of the 23 dogs taking gabapentin at enrollment, 10 were able to discontinue it and 11 of the remaining 13 had their daily dose reduced, to between 20% and 60% of the original. Every medication change was directed by the supervising veterinarian. This was a pilot study without a placebo group, so individual results will vary — never change your dog's medication on your own.

Why is my arthritic dog restless at night?
Joint discomfort is at its worst in the first seconds of standing, and a dog with sore joints rises and resettles repeatedly through the night — which is why night is often when arthritis first becomes obvious. But it is not the only cause of night pacing in an older dog, and cognitive change looks very similar in the dark. Our guide to night-time restlessness in senior dogs sets out the eight common causes side by side, with the specific observation that separates each one from the others.

How long does it take for hemp oil to work for a dog's joints?
Some owners notice a calmer, more comfortable dog within the first hour, but for arthritis and joint support the bigger changes usually show up with consistent daily use over one to two weeks. Give it time and keep servings consistent. Our full breakdown of onset and duration explains what drives the difference.

Can I give my dog hemp oil every day?
Yes — daily use is exactly how hemp is meant to be given for joint support, since steady, consistent servings help your dog's endocannabinoid system stay balanced. Start low, go slow, and keep it part of the routine.

What are the side effects of hemp oil for dogs?
At appropriate servings, side effects are uncommon and mild — usually drowsiness, slight wobbliness, or loose stool if you give too much. These pass on their own, which is why we recommend starting on the low end and adjusting slowly. Our full breakdown of hemp and CBD side effects in dogs walks through what each published study actually measured.

Which is better for a dog's arthritis, hemp oil or CBD oil?
They're usually the same thing under two names — both are hemp-derived and contain CBD. What matters is that it's full-spectrum hemp extract (not seed-only oil and not isolate), third-party tested, and dosed for your dog's weight.

What's the best hemp oil for a senior dog with stiff joints?
For larger and senior dogs, most owners start with our 1000mg Hemp Oil or 5000mg Olive Oil for higher daily servings; smaller dogs do well on the 250mg or 500mg formulas. All are full-spectrum and third-party tested.

Give Your Dog Comfortable Days Again

Arthritis doesn't have to mean the end of good walks and easy mornings. Start with the strength that fits your dog — the 250mg Hemp Oil for small and medium dogs, or the 1000mg Hemp Oil for large breeds — and give it consistently as part of a complete joint-care plan. Explore the full hemp for dog hip & joint mobility collection to compare every formula, or read what other owners have seen. Backed by our own Colorado State University clinical trial, grown on our organic Colorado farm, and third-party tested in every batch.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your veterinarian before starting any new supplement, especially if your dog is taking medication or has a health condition.