CBDa + CBD for Dog Joint Health & Mobility: A Real-World Study
Pet owners reported improvements in their dogs' mobility, comfort, and quality of life after 21 days of daily CBDa + CBD use.
In late 2022, Earth Buddy partnered with MoreBetter Ltd and the Veterinary Cannabis Society to run a 26-day real-world study of CBDa oil for dogs with achy joints and mobility challenges. 33 pets took part, mostly dogs plus a few skeptical cats. Owners scored their pets using three validated veterinary assessments, not star ratings. This page shares exactly what they reported.
Designed with MoreBetter Ltd & the Veterinary Cannabis Society | Validated veterinary assessments: Canine BPI, C.O.D.I., H.C.P.I. | 33 pets, 26 days
What the Study Found
Earth Buddy Mobility (4:1 CBDa:CBD): Getting Back to Moving
Mobility Hemp Extract is our CBDa-forward formula, built for dogs whose main challenge is movement itself. After 21 days of daily use, owners of the 22 pets in this group reported:
| What owners measured | Owner-reported change |
|---|---|
| Ability to run (Canine BPI) | 63.83% less interference |
| Enjoyment of life (Canine BPI) | 58.33% less interference |
| General activity (Canine BPI) | 54.79% less interference |
| Getting up from lying down (C.O.D.I.) | 54.55% lower difficulty score |
| Play (H.C.P.I.) | 53.50% improvement in score |
| Climbing stairs, curbs, doorsteps (Canine BPI) | 40.27% less interference |
The plain-English version: many dogs appeared more comfortable during higher-movement activities, and they did it without appearing sedated. For a dog who has stopped chasing the ball or hesitates at the bottom of the stairs, that is the whole point.
Earth Buddy Balance (1:1 CBD:CBDa): Everyday Comfort and Mood
Balance Hemp Extract pairs equal parts CBD and CBDa for whole-pet support. The 11 pets in this group were scored on the same assessments, and their owners reported:
| What owners measured | Owner-reported change |
|---|---|
| Posturing to urinate or defecate (C.O.D.I.) | 74.40% lower difficulty score (the largest single result in the study) |
| "Helped manage my pet's joint mobility issues" (BPI agreement) | 71.42% of owners agreed |
| Whining (H.C.P.I.) | 68.24% lower score |
| Play (H.C.P.I.) | 65.50% improvement in score |
| Descending stairs (C.O.D.I.) | 60.57% lower difficulty score |
| Least level of discomfort in the last 7 days (Canine BPI) | 53.75% lower average rating |
The takeaway here is quieter but just as meaningful: smoother transitions, easier bathroom breaks, less vocalizing, and steadier daily comfort. These are the changes owners of senior dogs notice first thing in the morning.
Which Formula Fits Your Dog
| Best for | Mobility 4:1 | Balance 1:1 |
|---|---|---|
| Active dogs slowing down | ✓ | |
| Senior dogs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Higher-movement support (running, stairs, play) | ✓ | |
| Daily comfort and smoother transitions | ✓ | |
| Joint concerns plus mood or cognitive changes | ✓ |
Some owners of multi-issue senior dogs use both: Mobility in the morning for the active hours, Balance in the evening. Both are formulated for dogs and cats. Browse the full CBDa for Dogs collection.
Why Supporting Dog Joint Health Matters
Aging dogs stiffen up. They take longer to stand, skip the couch jump, and cut walks short. Movement is exactly what aging joints need to stay healthy, so a dog who stops moving enters a cycle that gets harder to break.
Plenty of CBD oils can help with comfort. The tradeoff many owners run into is sedation. A calmer dog who sleeps through the afternoon is not the goal for a senior who needs to stay engaged, alert, and mobile. Comfort should never come at the cost of connection.
That tension is why we designed this study around CBDa.
What Is CBDa, and How Is It Different From CBD for Dogs?
CBDa (cannabidiolic acid) is the raw, unheated form of CBD found in the living hemp plant. Most brands heat their extract during processing (a step called decarboxylation), which converts nearly all the CBDa into CBD. Earth Buddy uses subcritical CO2 extraction, a lower-temperature process that preserves CBDa on purpose.
Why bother preserving it? CBDa interacts with the body's inflammatory pathways differently than processed CBD, including activity at the COX-2 enzyme. Independent research from Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine also found that CBDa is absorbed better in dogs than CBD alone. We treat that research as supporting evidence, not proof, and it informs how we formulate. For a deeper comparison, read our guide to CBD vs CBDa for dogs.
Why This Study Paired CBDa With CBD Instead of CBD Alone
Cannabinoids work better together than in isolation. CBD and CBDa engage the endocannabinoid system through different receptors and pathways, so pairing them produces a broader combined effect than either one alone. Most pet CBD studies test processed CBD by itself. We wanted real-world data on the combination our products actually use.
Two Ratios, Two Jobs: 4:1 vs 1:1
This is where Earth Buddy differs from other brands using CBDa. Rather than one generic blend, we formulate two distinct ratios in-house:
Mobility Hemp Extract (4:1 CBDa:CBD) carries our highest CBDa concentration. It is the targeted choice when the primary concern is joints and movement.
Balance Hemp Extract (1:1 CBD:CBDa) splits the difference for broad endocannabinoid support across joint comfort, calm, and cognitive function. It is the whole-pet option for seniors juggling more than one age-related change.
The study tested both, on purpose, so owners could see which profile fits their dog.
How the Study Was Run
Validated Veterinary Assessments
Owners did not just tell us their dog "seemed better." They scored their pets on three assessment tools used in veterinary research:
The Canine Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) measures how much discomfort interferes with activities like walking, running, climbing, and enjoying life. The Cincinnati Orthopedic Disability Index (C.O.D.I.) scores how difficult specific movements are, from getting up to descending stairs. The Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (H.C.P.I.) tracks behavior patterns like play, mood, and vocalizing.
Lower scores mean less interference and less difficulty. Every percentage on this page is a change in those scores, as reported by the owner.
Timeline and Participants
The study ran 26 days between November and December 2022: a 5-day baseline with no product, then 21 days of daily use. 33 pets enrolled, 22 on Mobility 500mg and 11 on Balance 500mg, spanning breeds from Chihuahuas to Great Danes, plus a few cats. 29 of the 33 had already tried other joint or mobility treatments, from prescription medications to glucosamine supplements. These were not first-time supplement households. They were experienced owners looking for something that worked better.
Why Senior Dogs May Benefit From CBDa, Not Only CBD
Three things are true at once for an aging dog. Sedation lowers engagement and movement. Movement is critical for joint health. And a dog's personality is the reason we love them.
A CBDa-inclusive formula is designed to support comfort without dulling the dog in the process. In this study, owners reported their dogs handling higher-movement activities more comfortably while staying themselves: alert, engaged, ready for the walk. For senior dogs especially, that combination matters more than any single number on this page.
How Earth Buddy's Approach Differs From Other CBDa Brands
A few brands now include CBDa. Here is what is different about ours. We formulate two purpose-built ratios instead of one catch-all blend, so you can match the formula to your dog's actual situation. Our subcritical CO2 extraction preserves CBDa that higher-heat methods destroy, which is why the ratio on our label survives to the bottle. Everything is formulated in-house by our own PhDs from single-origin Colorado hemp, and every batch is third-party tested with results you can check by scanning the QR code.
And rather than asking you to trust reviews, we ran a study using validated veterinary assessments and published what owners reported, including the design's limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
CBDa (cannabidiolic acid) is the raw, unheated form of CBD found in the living hemp plant. Most brands heat their extract, which converts CBDa into CBD; Earth Buddy uses subcritical CO2 extraction to preserve it. Owners often report CBDa-inclusive formulas as less sedating than CBD alone.
In Earth Buddy's 26-day Mobility Pathfinder study, owners reported improvements across validated mobility assessments while using CBDa-inclusive formulas, including 63.83% less interference in ability to run on the Mobility formula. Independent research from Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine also found CBDa is absorbed better in dogs than CBD. Results in our pilot varied by dog.
This study was designed to explore mobility support while minimizing sedation, which matters most for aging dogs that need to stay engaged and moving. Owners reported dogs appearing more comfortable during higher-movement activities without appearing sedated. Sedation can occur at higher doses, so start low and go slow.
Mobility Hemp Extract (4:1 CBDa:CBD) is the CBDa-forward pick for dogs whose main concern is joints and getting moving again. Balance Hemp Extract (1:1 CBD:CBDa) is the whole-pet choice for senior dogs dealing with joint comfort plus mood or cognitive changes. Many owners of multi-issue seniors use both.
Start with 0.25 ml per 20 lbs of body weight, once or twice daily, and adjust from there. Shake well and give directly or mix into food. Consistency matters more than quantity, so keep the dose daily.
In this study, owners reported changes over a 21-day daily-use window following a 5-day baseline. Cannabinoids work best with consistent daily use rather than as-needed dosing, so give it a few weeks before evaluating.
Most study participants had previously used other joint treatments. Always tell your veterinarian everything your dog takes, including dose and frequency, before combining products, especially prescription medications.
A few cats took part in this study alongside the dogs, and both Mobility and Balance are formulated for dogs and cats. Cats are more sensitive, so dose by weight and start low. Talk to your vet if your cat has a health condition or takes medication.
Owners scored their pets using three validated veterinary tools: the Canine Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), the Cincinnati Orthopedic Disability Index (C.O.D.I.), and the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (H.C.P.I.). It was a pilot, observational study, not a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Earth Buddy makes two purpose-built ratios instead of one generic blend: 4:1 CBDa:CBD for targeted joint support and 1:1 for whole-pet senior support. Both are formulated in-house by PhDs and use subcritical CO2 extraction to preserve CBDa that higher-heat methods destroy.
Support Your Dog's Achy Joints, Without Compromising Who They Are
Match the formula to your dog. If movement is the main challenge, start with Mobility. If your senior is navigating comfort plus mood or cognitive changes, start with Balance.
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This study was a pilot, observational investigation designed to gather real-world, owner-reported data. Earth Buddy Pet's goal was to help pet owners make better decisions with data, not reviews, when using CBDa oil for dogs. It was not a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Results are exploratory and not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure disease. Statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Consult your veterinarian if your pet has a medical condition or takes prescription medication.
Source: Earth Buddy Mobility Pathfinder Report, MoreBetter (Nov–Dec 2022).
