DENVER — Dixie Brands’ Therabis functional cannabidiol (CBD) supplements designed to improve mobility in dogs will be the basis of a clinical trial by the Veterinary Clinical Investigations Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) to determine the effectiveness of CBD in treating osteoarthritis.  

Principal Investigator Dr. Kimberly Agnello will lead the double-blind study, which will include three groups of up to 20 dogs known to have inflammation caused by osteoarthritis. One group will be administered the proprietary Therabis formula, another will receive pure cannabidiol, and the third group will be given a placebo.

Agnello and her team will compare inflammation in the dogs’ front legs by using physical tests in order to quantify the effectiveness of each supplement.

"We are honored to have a Therabis product selected by the world-renowned experts at Penn Vet for their first major study of the effects of natural hemp oil to reduce joint pain in dogs," said Dr. Stephen M. Katz, co-founder of Therabis. "Our experience in my clinic has shown that cannabidiol is an effective treatment in reducing inflammatory response. We have a passion for improving dogs' quality of life, and we look forward to learning all we can about therapeutic methods to achieve this." 

The results of the study, anticipated within 12 months, will be published in an academic journal on veterinary medicine.

Therabis is part of the Dixie Brands family of hemp-derived and -infused products for people and pets.

Read more about the trend toward CBD for pets.