Dosing Your Dog: CBD’s Effect on Pets

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional or a veterinary professional. Never give your dog marijuana or leave cannabis unattended in places that your pet can easily get into. 

Now more than before, there is an ever-increasing interest in cannabis and its therapeutic benefits for both humans and pets. This interest has spurred a recent increase in states that have legalized recreational and medical marijuana in the U.S. for medical conditions and recreational use. Those seeking to use medical marijuana to treat symptoms of qualifying medical conditions see the potential health benefits of using the earth-friendly plant with its numerous healing properties. Some dog owners even wonder if giving medical cannabis to dogs would have similar benefits. 

While we’ve already discussed how weed can be toxic to your furry companion, in our post, Weed and Dogs: What to Do If Your Dog Eats Your Weed, there may be part of the marijuana plant that can be beneficial to help with your dog’s ailments. It’s important to remember to steer clear of the THC in your marijuana products.

Never give your pet THC, as it’s harmful to them. Even secondhand weed smoke for dogs and cats can be harmful, so mind where you smoke in your house. This is why CBD oils, CBD topicals, and other CBD products are a much better alternative. You can dose them easily, and they don’t have the psychoactive properties of THC. Instead, CBD is the compound of the hemp plant that demonstrates anti-inflammatory benefits, relieves pain, and has been shown to reduce anxiety. 

Canine CBD Studies

Some recent studies have been done to see if CBD oils in the right doses could help with pets who exhibit signs of anxiety, frequent seizures, osteoarthritis, and pain. 

One study by Veterinary Sciences, entitled Effect of Cannabidiol (CBD) on Canine Inflammatory Response: An Ex Vivo Study on LPS Stimulated Whole Blood, showed that giving dogs CBD reduced their inflammation. 

Research from The AKC Canine Health Foundation (AKCCHF) on CBD oil and dogs with epilepsy resulted in “Preliminary in vitro studies of CBD show anticonvulsant effects, and researchers like Dr. McGrath hope that CBD will offer better control of epilepsy with fewer side effects.”

Another study from the Animals Journal, Cannabis, Cannabidiol Oils and Tetrahydrocannabinol—What Do Veterinarians Need to Know? showed that while more research is needed, cannabinoid products may be helpful in reducing both osteoarthritis pain and chronic pain can be used as another treatment for epilepsy in canines. 

The Canine Journal mentions a few research studies that were done on CBD for pets. These studies show that dogs may benefit from doses of CBD oil that allow them to experience pain relief, a better quality of life, and improved mobility. 

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides an informative article on Cannabis use and pets. AVMA states that studies are limited, but CBD has many promising therapeutic benefits to treat pain, inflammation, epilepsy, and osteoarthritis. The AVMA supports additional studies and pushes for the FDA approval of CBD products for safety and dosage information. 

Most cases of toxicity and dogs come from pets consuming edibles with THC. If your pet consumes marijuana edibles, be sure to consult a vet immediately. 

According to the American Kennel Club, CBD oil may help with canine health-related issues, like neuropathic pain and seizures. CBD is part of the hemp plant and contains no THC. The benefits of CBD include anti-inflammation, anti-nausea, increased appetite, decreased anxiety, and has benefits associated with heart health and cancer. 

If you choose to dose your pet with CBD oil for any associated symptoms, there may be minor side effects such as dry mouth, low blood pressure, and lethargy. Dog owners are advised to start off with small doses of CBD oil and monitor them to see how the pet handles CBD. 

Be aware that the products sold to you in stores have not been FDA approved, and product labels may not be accurate. Since CBD oils, treats, and products have not been tested, there is no dosage recommendation, and therefore, no known dosage that may be toxic to dogs. When trying new products, there is always a risk of an unknown reaction or side effect, so discuss this treatment with a veterinarian before using CBD. If you are going to try CBD oil for your dog, check the ingredients thoroughly before dosing, and make sure the ingredients are organic with zero additives. 

An important thing to note is that not many studies have been done, and this is a new area of exploration, but many people are starting to see CBD as a natural alternative option to prescription medications for both themselves and their pets. They want to avoid the typical medications that sometimes come with harmful side effects. There is hope and anecdotal evidence that CBD oil can alleviate pain in dogs as well as inflammation, epilepsy, anxiety, and osteoarthritis. Are you willing to try dosing CBD oil for your dog?