Cannabidiol (CBD) and the associated cannabinoids can have dramatic effects on animals. Caution should be taken when using cannabis with pets (including hemp).
The number one concern is that your pet could consume too much THC, the main psychoactive chemical in cannabis. When exposed to too much THC, animals will become dizzy, lose bodily controls, and can become afraid and generally uncomfortable.
CBD on the other hand is very well tolerated at high doses and can be used safely in most animals (Bergamaschi, et al. 2011).
There are not many studies that describe the exact dosage to be giving our pets, if we decide to give our animals cannabis products. However, research is available that can shed some light on the subject and allow us to make sensible conclusions about cannabinoid dosing.
A study on rats (completed by the University of Utah, Turkanis et al. 1979) showed the effects of CBD (0.3 mg/kg). The study compared CBD to THC and two prescription drugs (Phenytoin and Ethosuximide). The study showed that CBD was the most effective “drug” tested for treating the rats and after-discharge effects. Even at the lowest dose tested in the study, 0.3 mg/kg (this equals about 4.5mg for a 15kg dog), CBD showed dramatic results!
This is exciting news because it means that you could possibly treat your pet with CBD, avoiding the use of toxic drugs. Unlike drugs such as Phenytoin, there has never been adverse events reported from CBD alone, even at very high doses (Bergamaschi, et al. 2011). Like many pharmaceutical drugs the medications can have bad side effects. CBD has no known side effects, and can be taken safely by most animals at doses much higher than needed. This makes it safe for pets that like to get into bags of food and eat the entire container. An entire container of CBD dog treats would probably just cause symptoms associated with overeating, no serious drug overdose symptoms.
Another benefit is that CBD can be a cheap alternative to using these pharmaceutical drugs. When going to the vet there’s always a veterinarian checkup fee and those vary from around fifty dollars to nearly one hundred, which can get pricey. On top of that you have to pay for the prescription.
There are other medical uses that CBD has become well known for. We don’t yet know the full story of what CBD can do, but we know that the health benefits aren’t just helping humans, but our furry companions as well. Regardless of what you choose to use CBD for, the information in this article can serve as a verified guideline for safe CBD dosing in dogs and cats.
Below is a table that calculates CBD dosing based on 0.3mg/kg (proven safe and effective in animal studies). The table is made for Canntica CBD Oil 30ml, 500mg product, with dosing based on the studies reviewed in this article (0.3mg/kg).
2.8kg – 0.83mg = 1 drop
5.4kg – 1.66mg = 2 drops
8.3kg – 2.49mg = 3 drops
11.1kg – 3.32mg = 4 drops
13.8kg – 4.15mg = 5 drops
16.6kg – 4.98mg = 6 drops
19.4kg – 5.81mg = 7 drops
22.1kg – 6.64mg = 8 drops
24.9kg – 7.47mg = 9 drops
27.7kg – 8.3mg = 10 drops
The table is made for Canntica CBD Oil 30ml, 1500mg product, with dosing based on the studies reviewed in this article (0.3mg/kg).
8.3kg – 2.5mg = 1 drop
16.7kg – 5mg = 2 drops
25kg – 7.5mg = 3 drops
33.3kg – 10mg = 4 drops
41.7kg – 12.5mg = 5 drops
50kg – 15mg = 6 drops
You can multiply these doses for larger animals.
