How To Choose the Right CBD Dosage for Dogs and Other Pets
For many people, pets are like family, and it’s heartbreaking to see them struggling or in pain. It’s no surprise that when cannabidiol (CBD) found its legal footing and took off as a natural remedy for anxiety, pain relief, and other ailments, pet parents looked for CBD products that could help their pets, too.
This article will help you determine the appropriate CBD dosage for dogs, cats, and other animals to help improve their quality of life by regulating stress and improving sleep and memory. Animals require specific CBD formulations that are safe for them to use.
At SUPA Naturals, we use organic, non-GMO ingredients to make our pet CBD products safe for our furry friends.
Which Type of CBD Should I Give to My Pet?
The hemp plant naturally produces over 60 CBD compounds. These CBD components interact with the endocannabinoid system to enhance your pet’s anti-inflammatory response, relieving pain. To get the full advantage of the cannabinoids and other elements in hemp oil, we recommend using full-spectrum CBD oil.
Full-spectrum CBD contains other plant compounds in addition to CBD, including trace amounts of THC (less than 0.3%), flavonoids, terpenes, and essential fatty acids. It can provide animals with a rich combination of cannabinoids that interact with endocannabinoid receptors all over their bodies to promote homeostasis, a complete balance, and boost the immune system to reduce inflammation.
Dogs
Whether you have an old dog with age-related issues or a healthy pup with separation anxiety, CBD can help your pet overcome stress, reduce discomfort, and digest food.
When administering CBD oil or tinctures to your dog, you can add it to a treat and let it soak, mix it with food, or put it directly in their mouth. Some CBD pet products come in pre-dosed treats in various flavors to entice your dog.
Cats
Cats are notoriously difficult to give medications to, so you might struggle to administer CBD in their mouths or as a treat. Your best chance of giving them the correct dose without any drama is to mix a dose of CBD oil in with wet food, which masks the smell and taste completely. Cats metabolize CBD slower than dogs and typically require a smaller dose.
Horses
While you might think that a horse’s size would require a larger dose of CBD, they actually need much less than a cat or dog. Their metabolism is very slow compared to smaller animals, meaning they can get the same benefits from CBD at around 0.05 mg per kg of body weight.
Is CBD Safe for Any Pets?
Yes, CBD has been clinically shown to have no detrimental effects on dogs and cats. The extract in CBD products comes from the cannabis plant but isn’t psychoactive or harmful to animals. CBD is available in three main types:
- Isolate: contains pure CBD
- Broad-spectrum: contains cannabinoids from hemp, but no THC
- Full-spectrum: contains all cannabinoids and trace amounts of THC
CBD isolate is the safest option for your pet, but full-spectrum CBD is also harmless at the correct dose. CBD interacts with your pet’s endocannabinoid receptors, helping to alleviate health conditions like aching joints and anxiety.
It’s always best to consult your veterinarian before introducing CBD to your dog or cat, especially if your pet is taking medications. Talking with your vet and determining the proper dosage for your companion will ensure they stay safe and receive the full benefits of CBD. We discuss CBD dosage for dogs and cats further down in the article.
Which Is Better: Treats or Oil?
CBD dog treats are the simplest option for dog owners who want to avoid calculating the exact dose based on their pet’s weight and other characteristics. The CBD dosing for treats is typically based on the general rule for dog CBD dosage, which might be one whole treat for large dogs and half of a treat for small dogs.
However, getting exactly the right dose is much easier with CBD oil, especially for small pets that might require a more precise dosage. The dropper allows you to control the dose accurately, which you can add to your pet’s food or drop into their mouth. Remember to reward your dog after giving them their dose of CBD oil to reinforce their good behavior.
General CBD Dosage Rules for Your Pets
Your pet’s size and weight determine the appropriate CBD dosage, with the basic dosing rule being 1 mg of CBD oil per 10 pounds of body weight. If your dog’s weight is around 20 pounds, it might only need 2 mg of CBD to receive health benefits. For example, SUPA Natural’s 250 mg CBD Oil for Pets comes with 8 mg droppers, so if your dog weighed around 40 pounds, you would want to give them half a droppers-worth of oil.
In most situations, the best advice is to follow the general guidelines on the packaging when deciding the right dosage for dogs and cats. If it’s your pet’s first time taking CBD, start even lower than the recommended dose and increase how much CBD you use over time. Eventually, you’ll find the CBD dosages that help your pet the most while staying safe.
Why Is Weight an Important Factor in Your Pet’s Dosage?
Just like humans, animals respond to CBD in different ways depending on their size, weight, breed, temperament, and underlying health conditions. Choosing the right dosage for your pet’s weight is essential to get the desired benefits and avoid side effects from giving too much CBD oil.
As a best practice, start with low doses of CBD instead of using the maximum dose for your dog’s size. For example, if you’re giving CBD to your dog that has osteoarthritis, you should start below the regular dose and increase it until you notice more energy and mobility. While most pets would be fine with the given dose, starting small is safer for your animals.
CBD Oil Dosage
When deciding the right CBD oil dosage for your pet, you’ll need to know your pet’s body weight, how much CBD oil is in the bottle, and how many milligrams of CBD the product contains. The standard CBD dose for animals is typically 2 mg, but the size of your dog or cat will significantly influence the effectiveness of the dose.
You can use the list below to help you decide how much 250 mg CBD oil you should give based on your dog’s weight. In general, one dropper of oil is about 8 mg of CBD for a 250 mg tincture.
- Less than 25 lbs: 1/4 dropper
- 25 to 60 lbs: 1/2 dropper
- Over 60 lbs: 1 dropper
Dogs over 100 lbs could require more than a single dropper of 250 mg CBD, but it’s best to start small and observe how the tincture affects your companion. Cats metabolize CBD slower than dogs, so it might be beneficial to give your feline a lower dose than you would a dog.
Calculating How Much CBD Oil to Give Your Pet
You can simplify dosing CBD oil for your pets by doing some quick math. If a dropper holds around 8 mg and you should provide your pet with 1 mg of CBD oil per 10 pounds of weight, a single dropper is then equal to 80 pounds of weight. From there, you can easily derive how much CBD oil is required for any given pet’s weight. If your pet weighs over 100 pounds, simply subtract 80 pounds from that and then calculate how much additional oil should be provided based on that leftover.
Some CBD products for dogs and cats come in a higher dosage, such as 500 or 1000 mg. Since large dogs require a strong dose, getting a higher dose CBD product can cut the amount of oil required in half or more.
How To Know if You Gave the Right Amount to Your Pet
Since CBD dosage can change depending on your pet’s health, lifestyle, and unique body system, you might have to try multiple doses before finding the one that works. Unfortunately, we can’t talk to our pets and ask them how they feel, so it can be challenging to tell how effective the CBD dose was.
Depending on the CBD administration method, it can take an hour or more for the effects to kick in for our animals. CBD dog treats, oil mixed with food, and CBD capsules all have to pass through your pet’s digestive tract before the body absorbs the natural ingredients. For most ingestible CBD products, it should take effect within 30 minutes to an hour.
If you use the right dose, you should notice a positive change in your pet’s behavior, such as calmness in place of anxiety or enhanced mobility in place of stiff movements from joint aches. If you don’t notice any change in their condition, you may need to increase the dose.
Can Your Pet Overdose on CBD?
Many pet owners know the dread of walking in the door to see a torn and empty bag of dog treats, your dog happily wagging their tail after eating every crumb. If those were CBD treats, would your dog overdose?
Luckily, no. No one has reported a case of a dog or any other animal overdosing from CBD consumption because hemp-derived CBD is not harmful to animals. Still, it’s important to research products before giving them to your dog or cat. Legally, CBD products must have a proper label with ingredients and dosage.
Even an especially strong dose of CBD for dogs isn’t likely to cause any serious side effects, but eating extremely high doses could lead to symptoms like drowsiness and diarrhea. While it’s highly unlikely for your dog or cat to experience these symptoms from ingesting CBD, it’s best to keep your CBD capsules, oil, or treats in a place where your pet can’t get to them.
As always, talk to your vet to determine the safest approach to giving CBD to your furry family member.
Dosage for Pets That Have Seizures or Epilepsy
The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation conducted a clinical study regarding the effects of CBD on dogs with epilepsy and seizures. The study found that the majority (89%) of the dogs that received CBD oil experienced a significant reduction in seizures.
Using CBD oil from hemp containing less than 0.3% THC, the researchers dosed the dogs in the treatment group for 12 weeks and recorded their findings. The results of the study paved the way for further funding for more research into CBD for dogs with epilepsy.
Since scientific studies are still underway, the exact dosages for dogs with seizures aren’t set in stone. Instead of starting off with a strong dose, we recommend beginning at the minimum amount and working toward the goal of reduced seizures. Consult with your veterinarian to ensure that you make the best decisions for your pet’s health.
When Is the Best Time To Give CBD to Your Pet?
The best time to administer CBD to your dog or cat depends on the ailments you want to treat. If you’re looking to control pain, you can give your pet their dose of CBD once or twice a day. It might help to take note of when the discomfort seems to be at its worst and give the dose then.
Many owners choose to give CBD to their dogs at meal time, which can help you remember to give it and create a routine that makes it easier on your animals. How often you give your dog CBD primarily hinges on what works best for them.
If your dog has anxiety surrounding fireworks, it’s likely you’ll never need to give them CBD until the Fourth of July or New Year’s. On the other hand, if your dog has epilepsy, it might be necessary to give them a daily dose to effectively reduce seizures.
Help Your Pets Live a SUPA Life
At SUPA Naturals, our mission is to help people enhance their quality of life by informing them of the benefits of CBD for managing conditions like pain, anxiety, and insomnia. That goal also extends to our loyal furry friends. We want to bring peace and happiness to the animals that enrich our lives on a daily basis.
Our CBD dog treats and oils contain high-quality, full spectrum CBD extracts from organic, non-GMO hemp that we verify via third-party testing. If you have questions about the CBD dosage for dogs, contact us to learn more!
