CBD Oil For Dogs

What Does CBD Do For Dogs

Tens of thousands of studies and accounts from pet parents point to the paw-sibilities of CBD oil for dogs. It can help your dog's appetite, promote mobility, decrease feelings of stress, and much more.

CBD oil contains cannabinoids similarly structured to endocannabinoids produced in our dogs' bodies. They can indirectly influence the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Dogs are more sensitive to cannabinoids than we are. So while we might not feel much from CBD oil, some products can have a far more potent effect on dogs.

The main products you'll encounter are Isolate, Broad Spectrum, and Full-spectrum CBD oil for dogs.

Unfortunately, you'll also see many hemp seed oil products marketed as if they have the same effects as CBD products. Check the ingredients and lab results to ensure your fur family gets a product that works. 

Full-spectrum has the most complete plant profile, broad-spectrum is the same minus the THC, and isolate only contains CBD. 

These products do different things for dogs. What matters is how much of each cannabinoid the CBD oil contains. The two most famous ones are CBD and THC. They are both technically psychoactive but in very different ways. THC has a stronger attraction to receptors, which can cause a high, unlike CBD, which does not.

They can both impact nausea, influence some feelings of pain, and help regulate an array of anxiety issues, but that's where the similarities end.

CBD research focuses mainly on inflammation, depression, mental disorders, migraines, and psychosis. In contrast, people study THC for its effects on muscle spasms, ocular pressure, appetite, and sleep.

We know less about the other parts of the plant, including minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.

Researchers are looking at CBDV as a possible anticonvulsant and CBC for inflammatory properties. Terpenes can have antibacterial, antifungal, and even energizing effects.

What's even more interesting is the interactions between these plant parts. Less CBD, CBG, CBDV, and THC make it to the bloodstream when taking full-spectrum oils than when taken on their own as isolates. CBDA is the opposite; more is present in the blood when taken in whole-plant form versus isolate. 

We do not know which cannabinoids, terpenes, or flavonoids found in hemp are responsible for this. We likely will not know until the effects of all of the individual parts of the plant and their interactions are clear.

We know more about the side effects different CBD oils can have on dogs. 

Side Effects

CBD oil's known side effects in dogs are temporary, reversible, and not life-threatening. However, depending on the extract used, they can vary dramatically.

CBD has consistently demonstrated a wide margin of safety up to very high dosages in dogs and much smaller animals. Vomiting, nausea, sleepiness, diarrhea, changes in appetite, and increased liver enzymes are possible side effects of all CBD oils for dogs. 

Additional side effects are possible in some full-spectrum CBD oils for dogs containing close to 0.3% THC. According to over 600 pet parents, full-spectrum oils caused dry mouth, sedation, and increased appetite in over 30% of dogs. More than 20% felt that their dog had a panic reaction, and over 3% perceived increased seizures.

These additional side effects are less likely to occur as the THC levels in the final product decrease.

Pet parents should also be aware that the long-term side effects of CBD oil are not known, as the longest study in dogs is 12 weeks.

Is CBD Oil Safe For Dogs

Veterinarians widely consider CBD oil safe for dogs as it is not lethal, but some products are safer than others.

The factor that affects safety the most is the amount of THC in the product; as it increases, more psychological side effects will occur. Broad-spectrum and Isolate products can help with many issues without the psychoactive risks of THC. However, in some cases, the benefits of more THC can outweigh the risks. 

We often hear about adverse side effects pet parents have seen with common pharmaceutical drugs. They want to know if CBD is a safer natural alternative.

We asked James Davis, a Pharmacist with a lot of knowledge about over-the-counter and prescription medications, for his opinion on the safety of CBD vs. NSAIDs often given to dogs.

James says that NSAIDs like carprofen are commonly used to treat conditions that can last for years, such as arthritis. Surprisingly, the safety studies on NSAIDs in pets are much shorter – often no more than six months. Even in six months many of these studies identify side effects that worsen over time – like ulcers, liver damage, and kidney damage. While CBD is less studied, it has only two documented side effects: Diarrhea and liver enzyme changes. Both of these appear to be mild side effects and are reversible. While more study is ideal, it is worth considering CBD in talking to your veterinarian as potentially safer than NSAIDs.

How Much CBD Oil Should I Give My Dog?

The CBD oil dosage for dogs depends on the product you buy, the condition your dog is suffering from, and your dog. The FDA hasn't set a standard dosage for these products, so the dosage recommendations vary from company to company.

A 2019 review of over a thousand studies with dosages up to 50mg CBD/kg found that higher doses have better therapeutic effects overall.

The most beneficial dose for dogs can be as low as 0.3mg/kg but is almost always between 1-2mg of CBD per kg of body weight, twice a day. The reason we don’t suggest more is that research has shown liver enzymes will increase more quickly above that dose level.

The addition of other cannabinoids and terpenes found in a broad or full-spectrum product can provide similar results to CBD isolate at a lower dosage for some issues.

The dose of higher THC products is less dependent on weight, while broad-spectrum and isolate dosage is more linear, meaning it goes up as the dog's weight does.

The side effects of THC are the main factor limiting the dose of full-spectrum products in dogs.

If you try a full-spectrum oil, start at around 0.1mg CBD/kg and increase as necessary while carefully monitoring your dog.

We suggest starting around 1mg/kg CBD with Broad Spectrum or isolate products up to a maximum dose of 2mg CBD/kg.

If you encounter adverse side effects, you can reduce the dose, and they will subside. If using any CBD product long-term, we suggest periodically checking in with your vet. 

Is CBD Oil Legal?

Some CBD oils are legal, and some are not, even if they come from legally grown industrial hemp containing less than 0.3% THC. While it's unlikely your pup will end up in handcuffs, we think you should be informed before you buy CBD oil for Dogs.

THC can not be entirely removed from hemp plants through breeding, as its so closely connected to CBD.

Even if the dry crop contains legal levels of THC, the extraction process concentrates the extract from the plant, pushing THC levels above the legal limit. These concentrates with more than 0.3% THC are sold as non-compliant full-spectrum extracts and are often used in CBD oils for dogs.

That’s why you can find CBD oils with close to 0.3% THC in the final product, even though they are made with two ingredients including over 90% carrier oil.

Legally made full-spectrum extracts undergo an additional filtration process to reduce THC levels below 0.3%. They become broad-spectrum when THC levels are undetectable in testing, which can vary massively depending on the lab.

Look for a company that does this organically, as while it’s a lot more expensive, it means that no harmful solvents are used. Legal CBD dog oils will contain only trace amounts of THC in the final product, generally under 0.03%.

How To Choose The Best CBD Oil For Dogs

In most cases, the best CBD oil for dogs is broad-spectrum, at a dose range between 1-2mg/kg CBD, twice a day. This product will have the best chance of helping with most issues while minimizing side effects.

A quality broad or full spectrum extract has THC levels reduced organically and uses C02 extraction. 

The best carrier oil is organic fractioned coconut oil (MCT Oil) because dogs like the taste, it's better at naturally preserving terpenes, and it aids in the absorption of CBD most effectively.

Look for a company that consistently lab tests its products in a 3rd party lab and displays them publicly. The lab results will let you know the levels of CBD and THC in the oil and if it's freshly made.

Knowledgeable customer service and guarantees are essential if you want your pup to have a good experience with CBD.

Watch out for hemp seed oils; companies are allowed to advertise them because they don't contain CBD, so you'll likely encounter them.

Sponsored articles and pay-to-play review sites will tell you which CBD oil is best for dogs in simple terms. They are frequently not written by experts and will often recommend the product that pays the highest commission.

We all love to buy products based on reviews, but in 2022 you need to take reviews with a pinch of salt; most companies write fake ones and often don't publish anything with 3 stars or less.

Pick a company that does it for the right reasons, not one that's just in it for a quick buck. If you do your research, you can navigate the pitfalls and find the best CBD oil for dogs.

Biscuits Story

Biscuit is why our CBD oil for dogs exists. To say she lived an active life would be an understatement.

Unfortunately, at the age of 10, she started to limp after trips to the dog park. It broke my heart to see her in pain doing what she loved the most.

I started feeding her a raw food diet and added high-quality supplements to ensure her nutritional needs were met. Unfortunately, while she loved the food, the limping persisted.

I decided to go to the vet. They quickly diagnosed her with osteoarthritis and prescribed a drug to help.

Her limping stopped, and she was in less visible pain. For the first week, it seemed that this was the solution.

A few days later, it was to my absolute shock that she snapped at Gravy (my other dog) when eating dinner. She had never been aggressive before, so I assumed it must be due to the medication.

This clearly wasn't the right solution for us, so I stopped using the drug and started researching natural alternatives.

CBD oil for dogs was new back then, but there were some small studies suggesting it might be able to help. Read More.