Although research results remain varied and product quality inconsistent, many scientists are optimistic about the potential benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) for dogs and other pets suffering from conditions like arthritis, allergies, and anxiety.
Take, for example, a 13-year-old Norwich terrier who regained the joy of walking after previously suffering from stiffness and limping. Or a toy poodle with epilepsy, who finally found relief from seizures. These cases, along with others, highlight how CBD has alleviated ailments in dogs after conventional treatments had limited success.
Chie Mogi, lead veterinarian of the Animal CBD Research Society in Japan, notes that evidence is mounting in support of CBD’s efficacy. This non-psychoactive compound of cannabis shows promise in treating a variety of pet health issues, including pain, itching, and seizures, as documented in veterinary publications.
The positive reports also extend to more rigorous trials with placebos. “This was exciting to me because, quite honestly, I was worried that, despite the hype, it wouldn’t show a difference when studied more objectively,” veterinary neurologist Stephanie McGrath of Colorado State University, coauthor of a review of CBD for dogs and cats in the 2023 Annual Review of Animal Biosciences, said.
Despite mixed evidence and inconsistent product ingredients, many scientists are hopeful that CBD can broaden therapeutic options for pets. The surge in CBD use followed relaxed cannabis regulations over the past decade, which catalyzed growth in both the cannabis industry and related research. The 2018 US Farm Bill legalized hemp containing 0.3 percent or less THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the compound responsible for marijuana’s high), allowing companies to sell compliant products, including CBD supplements. Since then, hemp pet products have flourished, with the global market expected to reach $3.05 billion by 2025.
While CBD does not produce a high, it interacts with numerous brain receptors, providing a basis for its therapeutic effects. CBD is metabolized more slowly in dogs and cats than in humans, prolonging its effects, according to Cornell University veterinarian Joseph Wakshlag, who also serves as the chief medical officer for ElleVet Sciences, a pet CBD company. Surveys indicate that many pet owners have tried CBD to address issues such as pain, sleep, anxiety, and seizures in their animals.
Only recently have a few states passed laws explicitly permitting veterinarians to recommend CBD products, leaving the prescription of hemp products in a legal gray area elsewhere. Although many vets remain skeptical, recent research has demonstrated benefits for specific conditions.
Two 12-week clinical trials involving a total of 30 dogs reported that CBD alleviated epilepsy symptoms, particularly when other medications had failed to help. In both trials, dogs already on anti-seizure medication received CBD twice daily — one study used 2 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, and the other used 2.5 milligrams. Compared to placebo treatments where dogs received only their regular medication, those given CBD experienced about 30 percent fewer seizures on average during the trial.
Some pets suffer from extreme itchiness, appearing allergic to almost everything, and often veterinary diets and medications have little effect. In a 2021 study, 24 kenneled shelter dogs were given up to 4.5 milligrams of CBD per kilogram of body weight daily for three weeks. The dogs wore activity monitors that recorded their walking, running, head shaking, scratching, and resting times. The study found that dogs given CBD scratched up to 50 percent less, though some results lacked statistical significance.
Another report highlighted reduced skin redness and hair loss in eight dogs with atopic dermatitis, or chronic skin irritation. Cannabinoids might protect against inflammatory skin responses and thus reduce itchiness, as suggested by other research.
Some studies have shown benefits for dogs with arthritis, although results vary. One study involved 16 dogs with osteoarthritis given CBD oil twice daily for four weeks. After two and four weeks, owners completed surveys about their dogs’ pain and activity levels. Compared to a placebo, CBD-treated dogs showed greater reductions in pain and increases in activity. On a subjective rating scale with a maximum score of 40, pain ratings decreased from an average of 21 to an average of 14.
“Dogs that jump in the car again … they climb the stairs, they jump on the bed — all these things are what the owners notice,” Wakshlag, a coauthor on the paper, stated.
Another study on pain, however, reported no improvement in arthritis in 23 dogs dosed with CBD. In this study, researchers used veterinary assessments of mobility, including having the dogs walk on a treadmill-like device that measured the force of their paws. This method allowed for the detection of subtle gait differences, such as reduced limping.
The effectiveness of CBD in calming pets has also shown mixed results. In a 2020 study where 16 dogs listened to an audio track of fireworks, CBD had no effect on stress indicators like blood cortisol levels and tail-tucking. However, a more recent study found that dogs taking CBD exhibited fewer stress signs during car trips, including lower cortisol levels and less frequent lip-licking and whining.
Conflicting results don’t necessarily mean that CBD is ineffective. Every measurement method and protocol has limitations, according to Pernille Holst, a veterinary oncologist at the University of Copenhagen. Doses used in studies also vary widely. For instance, in the car-trip study, dogs received doses nearly three times higher than those in the firework-noise study.
The chemistry of the hemp product used may also make a difference, says Joseph Wakshlag. Full-spectrum hemp extracts containing cannabinoids in acid forms may act differently than CBD isolates.
More research could clarify these issues and help fill in the gaps, particularly for cats, for which research is especially scarce. However, large-scale clinical trials are expensive, and pet CBD companies don’t have the same resources as human pharmaceutical companies, says David Harmon, an animal science researcher at the University of Kentucky, who coauthored the firework-noise study.
“There’s no conglomerate with large capital to accomplish these things,” he said.
Complicating matters further for pet owners is the lack of oversight in the pet cannabis industry, leading to the production of questionable products. In a study of 29 hemp products, more than half contained CBD levels that deviated from the advertised amount by 10 percent or more. Additionally, four of these products were found to be contaminated with heavy metals.
“I wish there was more oversight and regulation to ensure the labels match the product, but currently there is not,” McGrath shared.
For pet owners, a good bet is to buy from companies that participate in voluntary programs like the National Animal Supplement Council, suggests Joseph Wakshlag. Some of these reputable products can also be found on Amazon.
Kris Paige, a retired veterinary technician, decided to enroll her dog, Purdy, in a Colorado State University clinical trial for CBD treatment after the Anatolian shepherd began experiencing grand mal seizures about every three weeks. Over the six-month trial, Paige observed a decrease in Purdy’s seizure frequency, though not as much as she had hoped, averaging one seizure every four weeks. Nowadays, she administers hemp oil to Purdy only after a seizure, which seems to reduce the dog’s confusion and anxiety.
Paige is glad Purdy had actively participated in the studies. “While the results weren’t what we were hoping for,” she said, “it added to the knowledge.”
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