CBD for Dogs

CBD products, such as CBD oil for dogs and cats, have become incredibly popular in recent years. Here are a few CBD benefits for pets that have made hemp-derived CBD such a go-to supplement for dog and cat owners.

Calming & Anxiety Support

One area where pet parents have reported significant benefits from CBD is in calming nervous dogs and kitties.** While we cannot and do not make any medical recommendations regarding the use of CBD for pets (such as, for anxiety), we can tell you that CBD’s calming properties make it an ideal product to ease your dog or cat’s stress.** Pets can be easily stressed by loud noises, being left alone, other people and pets, travel, and other factors. When their nerves are soothed, dogs and cats are able to live happier, healthier lives—not to mention making life much easier for pet owners!

Joint & Mobility Relief

Dog and cat owners have also reported improvements in their pets’ mobility when using CBD products for pets.** With minor aches and pains eased, dogs and kitties are better able to move around, exercise, and lead more active lives. CBD is often used to help older pets, giving them some level of comfort in their later years, providing your dog or cat with a better quality of life.**

Overall Wellness & Homeostasis

As mentioned above, cats and dogs both have an endocannabinoid system. This system helps with such critical functions as sleep, mood, memory, pain, appetite, and more. Research has shown that CBD interacts with this system and provides support that boosts your dog’s overall wellness.** As health supplements for pets go, it’s hard to find one with as much wellness potential as CBD oil products.

With CBD tinctures, you can either feed your pet straight from the dropper or drizzle the oil on your pet’s food. CBD dog treats can be administered just like a regular dog treat (and yes, dogs love ’em!). 

We have a variety of pet products, each with its own unique recommended CBD serving size (see chart below). However, if this is your pet’s first time taking CBD, we recommend beginning with half of the recommended dosage to see how your dog or cat reacts to CBD. If they seem to be getting all the CBD effects you desire, stop there. If you feel like the CBD dose isn’t enough, then the next time, go ahead and give your pet a full serving. Remember, every pet is unique, so it’s important to start slowly and see what works best for your dog or cat’s individual needs.

Recommended Dosage by Pet Size

Here’s a quick-glance chart for dosage and potency on all of our CBD pet products. Please note that our CBD tincture oils come in a variety of strengths, based on the weight of your pet. Cats and dogs under 25lb should use a 250mg CBD oil. Medium breed dogs (25–60lb) should use the 500mg CBD formula. Large dogs (60lb+) should use our 1000mg CBD formula. And extra-large dogs (100lb+) should use our 2000mg CBD formula. We recommend giving your pet half a dropper in the morning and half in the evening.

When to Give CBD

As noted above, regarding the tinctures, we recommend giving your pet half a dropper in the morning and half in the evening. With Calming Chews, we recommend giving your dog a treat 30–60 minutes before bedtime or an anticipated stressful event. Other dog chews are usually taken in the morning. Or, if your pet is large enough for multiple chews, split the dosage between morning and evening. For best results, we recommend daily use.

How Long Until Pets Feel Effects?

Pets generally feel the effects of their CBD product in 20–60 minutes. Tinctures usually kick in quicker than treats, which take longer to pass through your pet’s digestive tract before absorbing into the bloodstream.

We believe our pets deserve the same top-quality CBD as their owners. With that in mind, we use only the finest hemp oil and natural ingredients to make our pet products. To begin with, the CBD oil we use in all of our products is made with organically grown hemp, with no pesticides, GMOs, or other potentially harmful chemicals. And all of our CBD oil is extracted from the hemp plant with clean, efficient carbon dioxide, which doesn’t leave behind potentially harmful residues in the hemp oil as some solvents can. This means that all of CBDfx’s CBD hemp products are as pure and potent as advertised.

Third-Party Lab Reports & Certificates

You can verify purity and potency of our products by checking for an independent, third-party lab report, called a Certificate of Analysis (COA), which we provide for every CBDfx product. Every reputable CBD brand will provide a Certificate of Analysis for their customers. Never purchase CBD from a hemp brand that doesn’t provide the transparency of a third-party COA.

Is CBD Pet Oil Legal in Your State?

The 2018 US Farm Bill made it legal to grow, produce, and sell hemp products, including CBD pet oil products. All our products also comply with this law. However, while CBD is federally legal, some states have specific regulations. Check your state’s CBD laws for details.

Possible Side Effects & What to Watch For

While CBD and other hemp compounds produce a number of health benefits, they can produce side effects for some animals. Generally, these CBD side effects come from giving your pet too much CBD. Side effects can include drowsiness, reduced appetite, dry mouth, and diarrhea. Again, side effects usually stem from the strength of the dosage being well above the recommended serving size. So, make sure to store your CBD products out of reach of your pet. You don’t want a hungry dog or curious pet digging into a bag of CBD dog chews unsupervised. 

Also, please note that CBD can interact with some medications, so to avoid unwanted side effects, please consult with your veterinarian if your pet is taking medication and you wish to try CBD for your dog or cat.

We use the exact same CBD oil in our products for people as we do in our CBD for pets. The only difference is serving size, since pets are generally smaller than humans.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Human CBD on Pets

Generally speaking, CBD products made for humans contain much too much CBD for your pet’s body. Human products can also contain other complementary ingredients that are safe for humans, but harmful to pets. So, please only give your dog or cat CBD products specially designed for them. And please note that many CBD pet products are designed for pets of a specific weight range. In other words, never give your chihuahua a drop of our big dog 2000mg CBD tincture!

Tinctures vs CBD Pet Treats vs Topicals

While both CBD oil for pets and CBD dog treats are taken orally, their effects can differ for your pet. Tinctures kick in quicker (usually under 30 minutes), but their effects don’t last quite as long. CBD dog treats, on the other hand, generally last four to six hours, though they can sometimes take up to an hour for your pet to feel the effects. 

Topicals are creams and balms rubbed directly onto the skin and are absorbed into the affected area through the dermis.

Choosing the Right Format for Your Pet

If you’re looking for CBD-only support for general overall wellness, CBD oil tinctures are a great choice. CBD dog treats, on the other hand, are formulated with specific needs in mind: calming, hip and joint relief, and skin health.