Arnica is a yellow flower in the sunflower family that has been used for medicine including osteoarthritis and muscle pains for people and pets since the 1500’s. It can be used topically, orally, and as a tincture, salve, or lotion. And Arnica has been studied for its ability to relieve muscle and joint pain, as well as on bruises and other issues that affect people, dogs, and cats.
PetMD even recommends it as part of your all natural first aid kit for dogs, cats, and other pets. There is a risk with this natural pain reliever. If consumed in massive quantities, it can be toxic according to the Cleveland Clinic, so make sure to follow the instructions and talk to your doctor or pet’s veterinarian before using it, and only use FDA and doctor approved formulas vs. creating your own.
So how does Arnica work to relieve pain with dogs and cats? Let’s jump in.
Arnica contains both sesquiterpene lactones which have been studied with cancer research and shown to be anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. Antimicrobial therapies have been studied and shown to relieve specific types of pain when there are physiologic or mechanistic basis for efficacy, and even in some conditions like lower back pain.
Arnica also contains helenalin which is toxic when consumed directly, so again only use it in doctor prescribed medications, and works as an anti-inflammatory when included properly in a medicine. And inflammation is a major cause of bone, joint, and muscle pain in both dogs and cats.
Although the type can change as dogs are more prone to masticatory myositis which is almost unheard of in cats this page from the NIH and this article from Vetster verifies.
The anti-inflammatory properties in arnica have shown promise in studies like this one, and that is one of the reasons you’ll find it in CBD for joint support and mobility products for dogs and cats (like ours). And by definition, arthritis is an inflammation of one or more joints in dogs and cats, so an anti-inflammatory like Arnica should in theory help reduce the pain.
Some arnica roots also contain derivatives of thymol which is known to reduce inflammation, help in the production of red blood cells, reduce lipids, and increase circulation, while helping your body to produce antioxidants. And increased circulation keeps blood flowing through joints and muscles to help reduce the inflammation and pain.
Arnica has been trusted to help reduce joint and muscle pain for hundreds of years for people and our pets through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well as its impact on circulation. And that is why you'll find it in many CBD products for dogs and cats.
