CBD and dogs
by 5 LEAF PRODUCTS © 2024
Alvarenga et al. (2023)
For research on CBD in dogs, daily doses of between 1 and 20 mg per kg of body weight were usually administered.
There is reason to believe that CBD can behave very differently depending on the specific dog breed. For example, the composition and method of administration likely play a role in absorption rate and bioavailability.
Compared to administration via capsules and skin cream, administration via oil proved to be significantly superior in terms of bioavailability. With oil, a comparable CBD level could be detected over a longer period than with capsules or cream (half-life two or four hours, depending on the study).
With prolonged CBD use, it appears to accumulate in the dog's body. The concentration in the blood increases accordingly with regular use.
Few adverse side effects were observed with single doses. No short-term side effects were identified at daily doses up to 4 mg of CBD per kg of body weight, while at daily doses above 10 mg per kg, only mild side effects were usually observed (e.g., loose stools, vomiting). Furthermore, the enzyme alkaline phosphatase appears to increase in the blood.
In a study where the dose was increased over ten days to a maximum of 64.7 mg per kg of body weight, dogs tolerated CBD oil with MCT well. Side effects were mild.
In several studies, dog owners observed a significant reduction in pain and increased mobility in their animals when they were given 0.5 to 2 mg of CBD per kg for four to twelve weeks.
One study also found that dogs given CBD for three weeks scratched less frequently per day than dogs that did not receive CBD. Overall, there are several observations suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory effect of CBD. However, this has not yet been scientifically proven.
CBD influences various physiological and neurological bodily functions and may have anticonvulsant effects through several mechanisms. High doses of CBD appear to have neuroprotective properties and could, for example, be effective in treating epilepsy. A similar effect in dogs is being discussed, but has not yet been proven.
There are isolated reports that daily administration of CBD doses between 0.51 and 5 mg per kg over eight weeks was associated with longer sleep, reduced barking, or fewer seizures.
In clinical studies where dogs with idiopathic epilepsy were given 2 or 2.5 mg per kg of CBD twice daily for three months, evidence was found that the frequency of seizures could decrease with CBD administration.
Approximately half of the people who gave their dogs CBD to reduce anxiety found it effective. The doses administered varied considerably, and an optimal dose has not yet been identified.
Another study found that administering CBD for 45 days could reduce aggressive behavior in dogs towards humans. This study found no evidence of a reduction in stress-related behavior.
Alvarenga, IC, Panickar, KS, Hess, H., & McGrath, S. (2023). Scientific Validation of Cannabidiol for Management of Dog and Cat Diseases. Annual Review of Animal Biosciences, 11(1), 227-246. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-animal-081122-070236
Bradley et al. (2022)
It has been shown that broad spectrum CBD is well tolerated by healthy dogs, even in the long term.
For over six months, dogs were given a daily dose of CBD orally without any clinically relevant biochemical and hematological changes being measured (exception: temporary increase in alkaline phosphatase in some cases).
No adverse effects on health and well-being were observed. CBD was excreted in the urine only to a small extent, if at all. Excretion occurred primarily via the feces.
Bradley, S., Young, S., Bakke, AM, Holcombe, L., Waller, D., Hunt, A., Pinfold, K., Watson, P., & Logan, DW (2022). Long-Term Daily Feeding of Cannabidiol Is Well-Tolerated by Healthy Dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.977457
Gamble et al. (2018)
In this study, dogs with osteoarthritis were given CBD oil (2mg per kg body weight) or a placebo orally every 12 hours for four weeks.
While the pain appeared to decrease significantly following CBD administration, the dogs' activity levels increased significantly. No side effects were reported by the dog owners, and alkaline phosphatase levels rose significantly in the CBD group.
The median elimination half-life of CBD was 4.2 hours. Long-term studies are currently lacking, which is why only short-term effects of CBD in dogs are known.
Gamble, L.-J., Boesch, JM, Frye, CW, Schwark, WS, Mann, S., Wolfe, L., Brown, H., Berthelsen, ES, & Wakshlag, JJ (2018). Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Clinical Efficacy of Cannabidiol Treatment in Osteoarthritic Dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00165