CBD for Pets: Can I Give My Dog CBD?

CBD has been growing steadily in popularity these past years, and as a result many of us wonder if the benefits CBD provides humans can translate into treating any issues in our four-legged friends. CBD for dogs has become very popular in the US, with many citing it as a great way to treat seizures and separation anxiety CBD for cats also shows promising results, with many US CBD users claiming that CBD works great as a pacifying agent for cats with aggression issues.

Is CBD for pets legal in Ireland? Short answer: yes! Truth is, there are no stipulations against CBD use in pets, and as CBD itself is legal for personal use and purchase (so long as the product contains under 0.2% THC, the legality carries on to use in pets as well!

Why Use CBD for Pets?

As far as we know, all mammals have their own endocannabinoid system. Although they vary in role and importance, broadly speaking, cannabinoids can interact with the endocannabinoid systems of dogs and cats similarly to those of humans. What does this mean in practice though? All of the benefits CBD provides to humans are in some way available to dogs and cats! Anti-inflammatory effects, anti-stress effects, and pain relief are just some of the reasons why pet owners are eager to give CBD for pets a try.

Some dog owners have even found success using CBD to help with seizures and other neurological issues! As of now, research around CBD for use in animals is very limited, so if you’re wondering about whether CBD is right for your pet, this guide by healthline is a great place to start. Talk to your friends to see if they’ve had any success using CBD for pets. Or even better, ask your vet!

What CBD strength should I use for pets?

Start very low! The average dog weighs anywhere from 10-25 kg, while the average cat weighs only 4-5! CBD for pets is obviously very different from CBD for humans as far as dosing goes. A standard dose for an average human might be around 40mg of CBD per day, so we want to cut that down by a lot.

If you’re looking to treat large-to medium sized dogs with CBD, you might want to divide that by 5 to get a more suitable dose of 8 mg. For CBD for small dogs as well as CBD for cats, you would want to divide a normal dose by at least 10, so up to around 4 mg of CBD per day to start with. Always start lower than you think, as each animal’s interaction with CBD is going to be different!

Our graduated pipettes offer an easy way to measure out even small doses of CBD. 1 pipette’s worth of our lowest strength 500 mg CBD oil contains 17mg of CBD, for example. The markings on the pipette make it easy to measure out a half-pipette’s worth (8.5 mg, suitable for medium-to large dogs), or a quarter pipette’s worth (4.25mg CBD, more suited to small dogs and cats).

Once you understand how your pet reacts to CBD, you can increase/decrease the dose as needed. We always recommend our users document their CBD journey, writing down how they feel after each dose, and using CBD for pets is no exception! Understanding how CBD is working with your pet will help you adjust the amount to the perfect level.