CBD is a remarkable substance that has revolutionized modern health supplements. People across the globe are turning to CBD as a way to manage certain issues in place of mainstream pharmaceuticals with amazing results.
With all of the success CBD has had to offer when it comes to the issues we as humans face, one can wonder where the line lies. How can it be used for man’s best friend?
Dogs are faithful companions who love us unconditionally, and we love them in return. Unfortunately, they are just as prone to pain and health issues as we are, and finding ways to treat them can be challenging. So, more than a few people out there might be curious as to whether CBD can safely be used for their furry companions and how to determine the proper dosage for their more sensitive biology. With this article, we hope to provide some guidance on determining the proper CBD dosage for your dog.
How Much CBD Should Your Dog Take?
There is a slight issue when it comes to determining the proper CBD dosage for your dog. The fact is that the use of CBD in canine health is a relatively new field with very little official research behind it. As a result, there is no unified dosage chart for how much CBD to administer to your dog.
However, this does not mean that there is no information whatsoever. There will be a little more trial and error involved than you might otherwise have expected. Most veterinarians will be unable to advise you on this subject since most states prohibit them from officially recommending CBD as a treatment avenue. So, you will need to take some cues when it comes to the specific nature of your dog to ensure that the dosage you are administering will be beneficial rather than harmful.
The only concrete research into the dosage concentration for dogs was a study conducted in 2018 in which dogs suffering from osteoarthritic conditions were given CBD for pain management. The tests came back with a dosage amount of 2 mg of CBD per kg (2.2 lbs.) of body weight. However, many variables are involved with what makes for an effective dosage, even in humans.
You need to consider the strength of the CBD in the product, the amount of pain your dog is in, and the personal health issues your dog might have, such as allergies. With that said, most vendors of CBD products for dogs have adopted a general rule for how much CBD per unit of body weight is best.
We follow the general rule that you should aim for 0.1 to 0.2 mg of CBD per pound of body weight. This concentration is based on the aforementioned study to account for any possible weight class your dog might fall under. For example, a two-pound dog like a tiny chihuahua would ideally need a 4 mg dosage of CBD.
Your dog might need more or less depending on the strength of the CBD in the supplement and your dog’s metabolism. So, you would do well to start with the recommended dosage and see if it offers the relief your dog needs. If not, consider upping the dosage by the minimum dosage to ensure that your dog does not react adversely. However, you will likely not need to adjust it.
How Often Should Your Dog Take CBD?
Knowing how much CBD to give your dog and how often to give your dog CBD are two different things. The dosage will allow you to give your dog a concentration of CBD that will not overburden their systems, which are remarkably more sensitive to certain substances than ours are.
It is the same principle as human medication; however, CBD is generally treated differently based on the intake method you choose. Dogs are limited to ingestible CBD to get their dosage and feel the benefits it has to offer. So, you will need to provide the CBD supplement at interspersed intervals to minimize toxicity.
Operating on the general dosage recommendation of 0.2 mg per lb., you should not be giving your dog a supplement more than twice a day. Your dog will be just fine with only a single dose of CBD a day in most cases. However, if your dog requires a second dose, you should wait until between 8 to 12 hours have passed since the initial dose was administered to be sure your companion has fully processed the initial supplement.
Overloading your dog on anything, even a supplement as beneficial as CBD, will never be a good thing. You do not want to give them a second dose too soon after the first.
While an excess of CBD in your dog’s system will not kill them, it can result in toxicity that can cause your dog a great deal of discomfort or pain. There are some telltale signs to look out for if you are concerned that your dog is suffering from CBD toxicity. Be on the lookout for:
- Excessive panting
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Dribbling urination
- Loss of balance
If your dog demonstrates any of these symptoms after introducing CBD to their system, suspend use immediately to ensure that the toxicity does not worsen. At this point, it is also in your best interest to take your dog to the vet to get a professional opinion on their state of health. Even though veterinarians are not permitted to recommend the use of CBD for your dogs, if your dog is suffering from CBD toxicity, they are still allowed to provide aid so they can recover safely.
With this in mind, it becomes clear why managing the number of doses a day your dog receives is crucial. If you give them too much before they can fully process their initial supplement, the odds of toxicity will spike. So, if you are concerned that your dog might need a second dose, be sure to note what time you gave them the first dose. This way, you can ensure that the minimum 8-hour period has elapsed before providing them with a second. However, the need for multiple doses in a day is a relative rarity that will likely not be an issue for you or your dog.
Additional Considerations
When you are toying with the idea of using CBD to help your dog with pain management or anything else it might help, you need to consider more than just the dosage. Some factors will be unique to your dog that will directly affect their ability to process CBD effectively and safely for their needs. It extends past the weight class of your dog and relates directly to their general health as certain conditions will preclude them from being able to take CBD for any purpose safely.
For example, if your dog has liver or kidney issues, they will be unable to filter the good from the CBD and expel the unneeded compounds. It can also lead to a buildup of CBD, rendering it unsafe for them to continue the treatments without suffering from a toxic reaction. Be sure to be fully aware of your dog’s health conditions and their effects so you can be sure that none of them will interfere with your dog’s ability to process what you feed them. Even if they can safely consume a CBD supplement, it does not mean that any old supplement will do.
While it is true that most states prohibit veterinarians from consulting on CBD use for dogs, it is important to consult with them about any potential conflicts between your dog’s prescribed medications and CBD. A harmful interaction is rare but essential to determine if you want to ensure your dog’s safety.
Another huge consideration is the quality of the product you intend to give your dog. After all, the last thing you want to do is purchase a supplement that winds up making your dog worse. Unfortunately, CBD supplements are not fully regulated by the FDA, meaning there could be vendors attempting to pawn a shoddy or toxic product onto your dog without care. This means that you will want to do a great deal of research into the vendor’s products before committing to a purchase. CBD in and of itself will not yield lethal results but certain additives included by less reputable vendors very well could.
Fortunately, there is a very simple way to verify the integrity of a CBD product that is backed with scientific data. The most reputable vendors will obtain certificates of analysis for their products before listing them on their marketplace. These certificates allow you to verify the concentration of every compound in the product to scan for any toxins or unwanted substances such as an abundance of THC or pesticides that might poison your dog.
These COAs are generally attached to the listing on the vendor’s website, and the best will offer COAs that correlate to an entire batch lot of the product rather than individual units. It is worth the extra steps to click the link and review the results of the COA to be positive the product is safe for consumption.
This is especially true since you do not want to ever feed your dog any CBD product with measurable THC levels. THC is the psychoactive compound in cannabis plants that produces a buzz for us but can be extremely harmful to a dog’s health. If the COA shows measurable levels of Delta 9 THC or THCA, avoid it as these compounds could harm your dog.
X-perience CBD
CBD can be a fantastic tool for health and pain management. Despite its origin from the cannabis plants, long criticized for its relation to marijuana, CBD has become a beloved health supplement for people worldwide. Now, those same benefits can be offered to the beloved canine companions that help to make American homes feel complete.
After all, which of us can truly claim that we would not go to any lengths for the sake of our dogs? While our furry friends are slightly more sensitive to certain compounds than we are, CBD can still be used safely and effectively to help our dogs cope with otherwise debilitating conditions that reduce their quality of life. So, if you have decided to take the plunge and use CBD to help your dog, the only question left is where you can find a trustworthy product.
To that end, we at Neuro XPF are here to help. We believe fully in providing the best of the best so that you can be the best version of yourself. That same sentiment applies to your dog, as we love our fur babies just as much as anyone. We have produced a CBD dog treat that offers 10 mg of CBD in a single piece with a bacon flavor your dog is sure to love. Our treats contain no measurable amount of THC, making them safe for your dog’s consumption so they can live their best lives. So, if you want to give your beloved companion the best, check out our website and x-perience the best CBD in the game.
Do you have any potential questions or concerns about giving your furry friend CBD, our CBD dog treats, or just about CBD in general? If so, please do not hesitate to reach out and contact us at any time! We take your dog’s safety as seriously as you would, and we would be more than happy to provide you with all the information needed to ensure their safety. If that is of interest to you, you can find all of our contact information on this page!
Additionally, be sure to check out the other various articles we have written about CBD, in which we talk about subjects including the benefits of CBD, what taking CBD feels like, the forms of CBD you should take, and much more! You can find those articles and continue your CBD education journey right over here! We greatly look forward to assisting you (and your canine companion) on your CBD journeys however we possibly can!