Pets

Can I Give My Dog CBD Oil?

If you are a dog owner actively considering the purchase of CBD oil for your canine companion, this is a vital question to ask. CBD oil may not be suitable for every dog and its important to understand whether or not this food supplement could be of benefit to your dog. There are plenty of food supplements on the market but not every wellness solution is necessarily going to be the right fit.

In recent years, we have seen more dog owners embrace the therapeutic potential of CBD. Most people see CBD oil as being a food supplement for humans. However, CBD oil has been found to be potentially beneficial to canines. So, this means both you and your dog could embark on a wellness journey with CBD oil. Although, we would strongly advise against using exactly the same CBD oil products!

There are many CBD products on the market designed specifically for dogs. CBD pet treats have become a go-to food supplement for dog owners. Dogs can eat these food supplements like any other pet treat. With bacon and sweet potato flavoring, your dog won’t be able to distinguish these CBD pet treats from any other type of pet treats.

In this article, we are going to be taking a closer look at CBD oil for dogs. Can I give my dog CBD oil? This is the question we hear most often from dog owners looking to enter the world of CBD. With the right information and education on CBD for dogs, this doesn’t have to be a mystical experience. The more you know about CBD for dogs, the better choices you will make as a pet owner. We will be taking a look at the following questions:

  • Can I give my dog CBD oil?
  • Do vets recommend CBD oil?
  • How long does it take for CBD oil for dogs to work?
  • Can I give CBD oil to my dog for pain?
  • Can a dog overdose on CBD oil?
  • Can I give my dog CBD oil?

 

Can I give my dog CBD oil? 

Yes, you can give your dog CBD oil. However, there are a few important things to consider. For instance, you should always follow the guidelines on the product packaging. These guidelines are likely to vary from product to product. When it comes to dosage guidelines for CBD, there’s no such thing as blanket advice. Some CBD products contain more of the compound than others. With this in mind, avoid blanket advice and look at the guidelines for each product.

Later in the article, we will be discussing the potential downsides of your dog taking too much CBD oil. If your dog was to experience side effects after taking CBD, they would be mild and should not be the cause of too much concern. The most important thing is to gradually learn and understand how your dog responds to CBD.

After experimenting with CBD dosing, while remaining below the maximum recommended dosage, you will start to gain a sense of what the best dosage for your dog might be. You can assess this by monitoring their behavior before and after being given CBD oil. If they start to display different behaviors and characteristics, this could be considered as evidence that the CBD oil has started to affect their body.

Do vets recommend CBD oil?

Veterinary boards in the US are strongly against the use of CBD products for general wellbeing. They have bee advising professionals to refrain from prescribing or recommending CBD food supplements for pets. There is, however, a small exception to this. The Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA) permits veterinarians to prescribe human drugs for pets that are suffering from potentially life-threatening conditions.

There are currently no approved uses of CBD for pets, including dogs. This is unlikely to change any time soon. On a positive note, as scientists further study the potential benefits of CBD for dogs, we could see movement on how veterinarians are advised to talk about products like CBD oil. In most countries, to give CBD to your pets, you need a prescription from a qualified veterinarian.

How long does it take for CBD oil for dogs to work?

It all depends on how much CBD they have in their system. If they have been given CBD oil for several days in a row, the effects of CBD might start to become more profound as the days go on. After several days, it’s also possible that the dog may experience continuous therapeutic benefits. Making predictions about how your dog will react to CBD oil is difficult.

There are so many different factors that come into play. The dosage of CBD is also something worth considering. If you haven’t given the dog very much CBD, you probably won’t start to notice any behavior changes for a while. The stronger the dose, the more pronounced the behavior changes are likely to be. Although, as we say, how these effects manifest themselves will inevitably vary.

Can I give CBD oil to my dog for pain?

No, you should avoid giving CBD oil to your dog for the treatment of specific ailments. Through clinical studies, CBD has shown the potential to address chronic pain in humans. There is not yet enough evidence to suggest that dogs may also benefit from similar effects. Rather than giving your dog CBD oil for pain, we recommend speaking with your veterinarian.

As qualified professionals with extensive experience, veterinarians will be able to advise you on the best method of treatment for dogs suffering from pain. While CBD oil could have the potential to provide dogs with therapeutic relief, it should only be used to help dogs find a sense of calm and balance. In the future, it’s possible that the use cases of CBD oil for dogs could involve.

Can a dog overdose on CBD oil?

It is not possible for a dog to overdose on CBD oil because cannabidiol is non-intoxicating and does not have any psychoactive properties. You should follow the dosage guidelines on the product packaging to understand exactly how much CBD oil your dog can have in a given span of time. Some of the reported mild side effects of giving dogs too much CBD oil include:

  • Hyperesthesia
  • Lethargy
  • Vomiting
  • Ataxia

These mild side effects are extremely rare. If they do occur, you may be inclined to seek the advice of your veterinarian who will be able to provide you with an appropriate level of support.

Dr. Jordan Talley

Dr. Talley is a Physician Anesthesiologist who completed his medical residency at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Prior to medical school, he obtained a Master’s Degree in Physiology & Biophysics from Georgetown University. He completed his medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM - Bradenton Campus). During his Anesthesiology training at Johns Hopkins he completed rotations in Chronic Pain Management and continues to manage acute and peri-operative pain for his patient as a private practice anesthesiologist in Virginia.