Will CBD De-Stress Your Dog?

Pet owners often get interested in CBD oil for the same reasons humans take this product. If customers aren’t drawn in by CBD’s anti-inflammatory benefits, chances are they want to use CBD to calm their canine’s nerves. Plenty of studies suggest CBD has tremendous anti-anxiety properties for people, so why wouldn’t these effects transfer to dogs? 

Although there are countless success stories of using CBD oils to reduce pet anxiety, the scientific data on this topic is relatively low. While this doesn’t mean CBD can’t be effective for helping dogs de-stress, pet owners must recognize there are many unanswered questions about using CBD for this purpose. 

How Effective Is CBD Oil For Pet Anxiety? 

To be frank, most of the studies looking into CBD for dog anxiety haven’t been super impressive. For instance, one study out of the University of Kentucky examined whether CBD affected a dog’s response to loud fireworks. In this trial, researchers gave participating pups a dose of CBD, trazodone, or trazadone and CBD. There were also a few dogs who took a placebo pill before the test began.

After giving the dogs a few minutes to settle down, scientists played loud fireworks noises and examined each dog’s behavior. Researchers also collected blood samples from the dogs to determine whether there were any stress biomarkers. 

Trazodone was the only therapy that appeared to reduce the dogs’ fear response. Interestingly, CBD appeared to increase a dog’s heart rate during the simulated fireworks, and there was no indication CBD helped lower total cortisol concentration. 

However, it’s not all bad news for CBD’s effect on dog behavior. For instance, a trial out of the University of Western Australia examined whether CBD oil could reduce a shelter dog’s aggressive response to caretakers. After a few weeks on a CBD schedule, these dogs appeared to have lower stress levels when interacting with humans.  

It’s also essential to remember that dozens of placebo-controlled studies suggest CBD has a positive impact on human anxiety (specifically social anxiety disorder). Since so many dog owners swear by using CBD for stress-related issues, there’s a chance CBD may play a role in reducing conditions like separation anxiety or an overreaction to loud noises. 

So, Should Pet Owners Bother Buying CBD Pet Treats? 

Although the data on CBD for pet anxiety isn’t robust, that doesn’t mean CBD doesn’t have therapeutic potential for dogs. As mentioned above, there are some indications CBD may help with excessive aggressiveness, and the American Kennel Club notes that the University of Kentucky researchers may have waited too long after giving CBD to the dogs.

At the very least, vets now believe pet-friendly CBD oils and treats are safe to feed to dogs. Unlike THC, there’s no evidence that CBD can have a toxic impact on healthy dogs. As long as pet owners stick with reputable CBD pet brands with lab test results, they can safely experiment with these hemp supplements. 

Just keep in mind CBD can interact with other prescription medications, so pet owners must speak with a vet if their dog has pre-existing conditions. Also, it’s crucial to feed dogs the lowest recommended dose of CBD on the first day and only increase by about 5 – 10 mg per day till pet owners notice good results. 

Find “Barking” Good CBD Near Me On Real Tested CBD 

Anyone interested in CBD pet treats or CBD oils for pets can find plenty of unbiased reviews on Real Tested CBD. As the CBD pet care industry grows, we want to provide interested shoppers with high-quality info to make an informed purchase. Our team only awards “best of breed” trophies to pet-friendly companies that meet our standards for third-party lab testing. 

Check out the best CBD pet treats at Real Tested CBD.