With her playful personality and big, bold ‘stache, your Miniature Schnauzer is without a doubt the perfect dog.
I’m sure she loves to lead on walks, and is a great little watch dog.
Given how much you love your Schnauzer, you might be worried about her health, and that’s why you’re here researching this wonder supplement called CBD…
Well, what if I told you that the hype is real:
CBD, a tiny molecule found in hemp and cannabis, can support the symptoms of many conditions commonly affecting Miniature Schnauzers.
So I want to take an in-depth look at CBD supplements and how they can help your Schnauzer deal with thyroid problems and Legg-Perthes disease.
I’ll share my story with CBD pet products and give you some recommendations on the best brands available right now.
Our Pick:
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The Miniature Schnauzer
Bred in Germany towards the end of the 19th century, Miniature Schnauzers are a cross between the Standard Schnauzer and the Affenpinscher.
They served mainly as working dogs and were used both to guard sheep and hunt rats on rural farms.
Hence, they are extremely alert dogs with a keen sense of smell and hearing.
Miniature Schnauzers tend to be more calm and good-natured than standard or giant Schnauzers.
And, thanks to their size, they are much better suited as family dogs or for apartment/condo living.
Despite their size, however, Miniature Schnauzers are known to be energetic, playful dogs who need daily exercise to keep them happy and well-behaved.
Common Miniature Schnauzer Health Problems
Like any other dog breed, Miniature Schnauzers can get sick.
Review this list and see if something here might be affecting your Schnauzer:
- Allergies: Like many other dog breeds, Miniature Schnauzers are prone to dealing with allergies. These allergies can have different causes, including foods or airborne allergens like pollen, dust, etc. Some dogs may also have allergic reactions to specific shampoos or conditioners.
- Hyperthyroidism: The thyroid is a small, yet extremely powerful gland. When it isn’t working properly, it can cause all kinds of problems. Miniature Schnauzers have a relatively high risk of dealing with some form of thyroid problem, which can lead to other health complications in the future.
- Legg-Perthes Disease: Miniature Schnauzers, like other small breeds, are at risk of being affected by Legg-Perthes disease. This is a genetic condition and causes the head of the femur to lack proper blood supply. As a result, the bone starts to degenerate, causing pain and often leading to arthritis and other joint problems in the future.
- Liver Shunts: Liver shunts, also known as portosystemic shunts, is a condition in which blood bypasses the liver, meaning it isn’t naturally cleansed of toxins. This can produce a wide variety of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, weight gain, seizures, and much more.
- Mitral Valve Disease: This is the most common form of heart disease in dogs, accounting for roughly 75% of all heart conditions in canines. It is characterized by problems of the mitral valve (located between the left atrium and ventricle), which causes blood to be “regurgitated” back into the atrium when it passes through the valve.
- Myotonia: Myotonia is a rare condition but does affect a small percentage of Schnauzers. It causes certain muscles to constantly contract and usually leaves dogs with a stiff gait and problems getting up or laying down.
- Urolithiasis: Urolithiasis is characterized by the formation of stones in the urine and is a very common problem among Schnauzers. The exact cause of urinary or kidney stones is not known, but the crystals form from an excess of minerals in the urine at any point of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, bladder, and urethra. Extreme cases of urolithiasis can be fatal, while less extreme cases can typically be managed with dietary changes.
How Can CBD Help My Miniature Schnauzer?
Before we jump into the specifics, you’re probably wondering why I’m telling you all of this in the first place.
Well, not long ago I got the dreaded news from my vet:
Rosie, my Golden Retriever, was diagnosed with cancer.
As you can imagine, I was heartbroken.
Rosie was a beautiful, calm, and loyal dog and a huge part of my family.
Her hip dysplasia, which she always had, lead to arthritis as she got older.
The gradual degeneration of her hip had left her in constant pain and affected her energy levels and motivation to play and exercise.
As her cancer developed, she only became more lethargic and dealt with even more intense pain.
In her worst moments, Rosie would spend all day on the couch or bed, sleeping or staring blankly around the house.
Because her cancer was diagnosed late, my doctor didn’t give Rosie much time, and advised me to look for ways to make her remaining time with us as pleasant as possible.
That’s when I discovered CBD.
Within just a few weeks, this tiny compound completely changed Rosie’s life.
From the minute we started her CBD treatment, our whole family was pleasantly surprised at how well it was going.
And, as the treatment progressed, she became more and more like her old self.
Having witnessed the potential of CBD with my own eyes, I decided to build this website to share my story and educate other pet owners like you and me about the power of these supplements.
So, here’s how CBD can help Miniature Schnauzers with thyroid problems and Legg-Perthes Disease.
But remember:
Your dog might have some other ailment which I don't discuss in detail here, and CBD can most likely help.
CBD helps dogs with cancer, hip dysplasia, and many Schnauzers with thyroid and joint pain.
But it can also help with many other health conditions. You can review the 7 most common CBD benefits for dogs by clicking here.
CBD for Miniature Schnauzers With Thyroid Problems
Your dog’s thyroid is located near the middle of their throat, right behind the trachea.
And, just like the human thyroid, your dog’s thyroid plays a huge role in proper health and well-being.
The 2 most important hormones produced in the thyroid are thyroxine and triiodothyronine, commonly referred to as just T4 and T3, respectively.
Both these hormones play crucial roles in the proper functioning of the body, helping to control your dog’s metabolic rate, heart and digestive functions, muscles, brain development, and more.
An under or overactive thyroid can create huge problems for your dog, leading to all kinds of health complications.
If your Miniature Schnauzer deals with an overactive thyroid, you might find them overeating, rapidly losing weight, drinking and urinating more than normal, or acting restless.
There are many other symptoms of hyperthyroidism, including
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Hyperventilation, panting, or difficulty breathing
- An increased heart rate and “galloping” cardiac rhythm
- Hyperactivity, agitation, and nervousness
- An enlarged or inflamed thyroid
An under-active thyroid (or hypothyroidism), on the other hand, creates a whole variety of other symptoms, including:
- Lethargy and low energy levels
- Fatigue and underactivity
- Rapid weight gain
- Hair and muscle loss
If your vet diagnoses your dog with an over or under-active thyroid, I highly recommend you consider trying CBD as a possible treatment.
Research shows that CBD and other cannabinoids found in hemp and cannabis can restore balance in the thyroid gland.
Research from the European Journal of Endocrinology, for example, has shown that there are cannabinoid receptors in the thyroid gland.
The same research also showed that, by activating these receptors, cannabinoids like CBD can modulate the production of both T3 and T4 hormones.
In fact, the researchers found that activating cannabinoid receptors in the thyroids of lab rats drove down the production of thyroid hormones by up to 30%.
Moreover, a study published in the Endocrinology medical journals showed that CBD could also boost the production of thyroid hormones.
While there isn’t a whole lot of research into this topic yet, I definitely recommend discussing CBD as a possible treatment option for thyroid problems with your vet.
CBD for Miniature Schnauzers With Legg-Perthes Disease
Legg-Perthes disease is a common problem for many small or toy dog breeds like Yorkshire Terriers, and the Miniature Schnauzer is no exception.
This disease, as I mentioned earlier, is characterized by rapid, spontaneous degeneration of the hip joint.
It particularly affects the head of the femur which, due to a lack of blood supply, begins to die while the cartilage surrounding the joint becomes damaged as well.
In the short term, this produces constant pain and will usually leave your dog walking with a limp.
This pain will usually leave your dog feeling lethargic, unenergetic, and probably avoiding exercise or play time (which, as I’m sure you know, is extremely rare for Schnauzers).
In the long term, your dog’s hip joint will continue to degenerate, usually leaving them dealing with lameness, stiffness, and increased pain on a daily basis.
Moreover, they’ll also be much more prone to developing other hip problems later in life.
In fact, dogs with Legg-Perthes disease are much more likely to develop arthritis as they get older, which will only cause further degeneration of the joint.
If your Miniature Schnauzer is diagnosed with Legg-Perthes disease, I highly recommend using CBD.
CBD is a really powerful anti-inflammatory and painkiller, and I saw great success using it with Rosie to help her manage the pain and inflammation caused by her hip dysplasia and arthritis.
I used a combination of CBD products, including oil, treats, and CBD balm, and saw great results with all of them.
The oil was ideal for offering fast relief from acute symptoms, so I tended to use it in moments when I noticed Rosie dealing with acute pain or swelling in the hip joint.
The treats, on the other hand, offered longer lasting relief but also took longer to take effect (I learned that this is because they pass through the digestive tract, meaning it takes longer for the CBD to be absorbed into the bloodstream).
Finally, the balm was really good for spot treating pain, inflammation, and swelling around Rosie’s hip.
Whenever we’d take Rosie for walks, the strain of walking would leave her hip extra inflamed and tender.
As soon as I realized this, I started giving her a dose of CBD oil right before her walk, or a CBD treat roughly 30 minutes before heading out the door.
Once we’d get back, I’d use the topical to spot-treat the inflammation on her hip, especially before bed-time to give her extra relief while she slept.
All 3 forms of using CBD were really effective in treating Rosie’s inflammation and pain.
If your Miniature Schnauzer suffers from constant pain due to Legg-Perthes disease, I highly recommend using CBD oil, treats, or balm to help them manage.
Also, if Legg-Perthes has left your dog dealing with other hip problems, like arthritis for example, I also recommend using CBD products to fight the inflammation around the affected joints.
We saw success with CBD products from King Kanine which I review here.
Are Other Schnauzers Having Success Using CBD?
As pet owners, we’re constantly worrying about the health of our pets.
And while CBD is becoming extremely popular as a medicine and health supplement, many people are skeptical about using these supplements with their pets.
And I completely understand.
After all, I wasn’t sold on CBD and its health benefits from the get-go, and it took me a whole lot of research to finally decide to give it a shot.
But today many pet owners like you and I use these supplements.
Charlie, for example, is a Schnauzer using CBD to deal with anxiety and phobias.

“It worked! While my dog is still nervous once in a while, he is playing and eating again. I can’t say enough good things about Canna-Pet and the support team,” writes his owner.
Another success story comes from Opie.

As is common with many older dogs, Opie suffers from arthritis and pain. It got to the point where he was not very mobile.
However, after a few weeks of using CBD, his owner claims that he's back to walking around much better, and is as good as a 15 year old dog can be!
Lastly, Luci was experiencing seizures.

She was suffering from seizures and was on medication which her owner found out was starting to give her unwanted side effects as the dose was too much.
Luci was able to get off her medication completely, and now just uses CBD to help control her seizures.
Try CBD With Your Schnauzer Today
Just like thousands of other pet owners, I really can’t say enough good things about CBD and how it helped my dog Rosie.
So, if your Schnauzer is not feeling the best right now, I highly recommend trying CBD supplements to ease his/her symptoms.
I personally used King Kanine CBD products, which I’ve reviewed in more detail on my website.
Right now the best value for money comes from their King Kalm CBD 300mg RX. This is a great choice for Schnauzers.
If you're interested in trying this brand, then you can save 23% off the retail price of this CBD oil if you order from this link. Click here to save.
Keep in mind, King Kanine has other products like treats and balms, and you can save on those too!
Wishing you and your dog success with CBD.