There are some encouraging results from a study indicating CBD may be useful in reducing stress in dogs under certain circumstances, but more research is needed.
The close relationship between a dog and its owner is a wonderful thing. But it can also be a source of stress for a dog when separated from an owner. Other common stressful events for our canine pals can include travelling in vehicles. There’s been a fair bit of research into use of the non-intoxicating cannabinoid CBD in humans for managing stress and anxiety, but not so much in relation to dogs.
A study carried out by Waltham Petcare Science Institute researchers sought to determine the impact a separation event and car travel has on canine stress and to evaluate the effect of THC-free broad-spectrum CBD distillate during such events.
Forty healthy adult dogs participated in the study; some receiving placebo, others CBD. A range of measures were collected pre, during and after the tests, including serum cortisol, mean ear temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability, whining and a stressed/anxious behavioral factors. The CBD dosage used was single oral dose of four milligrams per kilogram of body weight daily over a six month period.
The researchers found:
“The mitigating effect of CBD treatment varied by measure and test, with some indicating a significant reduction in canine stress compared to the placebo group.”
And very importantly:
“Additional research is required to fully understand the complex effect of CBD on canine wellbeing.”
Waltham Petcare Science Institute is a part of Mars Petcare. Commenting on the research, Dr. Jennifer Welser, Chief Medical Officer of Mars Veterinary Health, said:
“We’re focused on scientific inquiry that generates knowledge that can inform pet professionals’ and pet owners’ decisions. So, this study is important because it gives us new evidence that CBD at the dose studied can be beneficial for dogs in specific circumstances.”
The full study report has been published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science and can be found here.
While CBD is generally well-tolerated by dogs, not all dogs and CBD products are equal – and there have been some reports of bad reactions. There are plenty of CBD products available for dogs these days and their potency and quality can vary wildly. It’s for this and other reasons that dog owners should first consult a suitably qualified professional to advise and supervise the use of cannabidiol in pets.
