You may be curious about adding CBD to your pets wellness routine but at the same time also concerned about the proper dosing of CBD for your pet so as not to result in a cat or dog overdose on CBD. There is a lot of information about CBD and how to give CBD to your pet but there is also vastly different information in the public domain regarding CBD dosing for pets.
This lack of information or lack of consistent information about pet dosing CBD is mostly because there are many forms of CBD to give your dog or cat which makes dosing considerations a bit more complex.
Stay tuned and read on as we will talk about all things CBD dosing for your pet so you can be confident that you will not have a dog or cat overdose of CBD.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol or CBD is a plant extract that comes from the hemp or cannabis plant. The hemp plant is a legal plant that has less than .3% THC.
CBD is one of many cannabinoids in the hemp plant, including THC.
The hemp plant is known and used for many purposes such as fabric, food and fibers. CBD does not get you high, meaning it is not psychoactive but science indicates that it still has the ability to help our pets. (See our article on the latest CBD pet research)
In the context of pets it is important to distinguish the difference between CBD and THC. CBD is not psychoactive and is safe for pets. THC is psychoactive and should not be given to pets. According to the At Home Pet Doctor dogs should not consume THC as it can lead to poisoning in its most severe form and can cause seizures, coma and death in your pet. Less severe symptoms for dogs consuming THC include dilated pupils, depression or hyperactivity and vomiting. Also seen are excessive vocalizing, dribbling urine, falling asleep while standing and disorientation. Clinical signs can develop within minutes to several hours after inhaling or ingesting THC.
See more about CBD in our article on safely adding CBD to your pet wellness routine here.
Is CBD Safe for Pets?
CBD is very safe for pets. There are many wellness benefits for dogs that receive CBD, which is likely why you are interested in the safe use of CBD for dogs and cats and the cat and dog dosage of CBD.
CBD for pets is still a fairly new area for research but there have been several published scientific studies that proves the benefits of CBD for dogs and cats and the safety of CBD for cats and dogs.
One randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial that was published in the May 2021 issue of American Journal of Veterinary Research. saw five groups of dogs receive one of four doses of CBD or placebo oil orally once daily for 28 days and found that repeated CBD administration was well-tolerated by dogs, with no veterinary reported clinically important abnormal findings or severe adverse events.
Another study published in the March 2021 issue of American Association of Feline Practitioners’ Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and studied the safety of CBD in cats by examining feline tolerability and pharmacokinetics when CBN was administered in escalating amounts. The randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial saw 20 healthy adult cats randomly placed into five treatment groups, each group was then given up to 11 escalating doses of the trial formulations orally with at least three days between consecutive doses and found that both CBD were generally well-tolerated by healthy cats.
Dosing CBD for Cats and Dogs
When dosing CBD for pets, it is important to start with smaller doses. The dosage and frequency will be determined by the type of CBD you are administering, your pet and their age, health and medical status
Can my pet overdose on CBD?
Due to the well researched safety of CBD for dogs and cats providing your pet with a therapeutic dose of CBD will not cause an overdose. See our article on can my dog or cat overdose on CBD.
A therapeutic dose will depend on the CBD product but the first thing to know is that CBD is a plant based product and it is not a poison or toxin that your pet would suffer irreparable harm from or that would lead to death. A therapeutic dose of Calm and Relieve Plus Hemp sprays is 2-6 sprays. 2 sprays for smaller animals and those on a wellness routine and more for larger dogs or dogs that are very anxious or suffering in pain.
Each dog or cat, like each person, is different so it is important to experiment with different doses to obtain a perfect therapeutic dose.
The important things to consider are whether your pet is on any other products that may interact with CBD or what else is in the product you are giving your pet and whether or not that can cause overdose issues.
Unlike Calm and Relieve Plus Hemp sprays for pets which are 100% THC free, many CBD oils contain THC along with CBD which is something that you have to be cautious about. If your pet takes enough of the THC contained in a pet CBD product they may get pretty sick. CBD from hemp will always be lower in THC, less than .3%, to actually be characterized as hemp but it may still have traces of THC that may build up in your pet when giving pets CBD from hemp.
It is best to stick with CBD free of THC like Calm and Relieve Plus in order to not worry about adverse consequences of your pet ingesting THC and always consult with your pet’s veterinarian.
How to give your pet CBD
Most people are aware of CBD oil from hemp. But how you give your pet CBD will depend on the CBD you choose. There are different ways to give your pet hemp CBD. One of them is an oral dose of a CBD oil or hemp spray like Calm and Relieve Plus or you can administer CBD on a treat or on food or you can give your pet a topical CBD for pain and discomfort on a joint or muscle like Relieve Plus pain and wellness gel.
Applying CBD topically will certainly not result in a dog overdose of CBD but you will have to watch for any skin irritation or rashes. CBD oil will also not likely result in a dog overdose of CBD since CBD oil processes through the entire system and very little is actually absorbed into the body, which is the benefit of choosing a water soluble CBD like Calm and Relieve Plus but with a CBD oil you should consult your vet for any possible drug interaction issues.
Conclusion
While it is very easy to add CBD to your pet’s wellness routine so that they enjoy all of the benefits of CBD, it is recommended to start slow and watch your pet carefully. It is best to watch your pet’s behavior contrasted with their behavior before you give them CBD to track if they have any adverse reactions, which are extremely rare. This is especially true with high quality CBD from hemp like Calm and Relieve Plus CBD from hemp sprays.
Pet CBD Overdose FAQ
500 ML of CBD for a dog is a lot, the general rule of thumb is .2 mg of CBD per kg (2.2pounds) of bodyweight but it depends also on the type of CBD you use and if you are using CBD for general wellness or targeted relief. 500 ML is likely too much and in most instances will be an entire bottle. It is important to try different doses since CBD will also react to each dog’s body differently.
CBD will remain in your dog’s system for up to twenty-four hours, but this will depend on factors such as the type of CBD, CBD like Relieve Plus and Calm pet hemp sprays are water soluble and may be absorbed faster by the body they may dissipate at a quicker rate as well other factors that will affect how long CBD remains in your dog’s system include, the amount of CBD ingested and his own physiology.
Large dogs can have a lot of CBD without adverse effects, but in general vets recommend .2 mg of CBD per kg (2.2pounds) of bodyweight but it depends also on the type of CBD you use (for instance Relieve Plus and Calm are a lot less due to their being water soluble) and if you are using CBD for general wellness or targeted relief. There are no reported cases of dog overdoses from CBD. CBD is naturally derived so provided it does not have something added to it, it will be hard to overdose but your goal still should be to determine the effective dose so you are not adding unnecessary supplements to your dog’s diet and to protect your pocket book so that you can spend your money on other fun dog things!
