A New Study Finds Cannabidiol Products Are Safe for Dogs
Dog owners truly care about what they give their dogs to eat. As more products with CBD for pets appear in the marketplace, it is not surprising that studies are being conducted to assess the effects of cannabidiol on dogs. A recent 2024 study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science investigated the tolerability of dogs to different cannabinoids and found that dogs can safely consume cannabinoid products made from hemp over a long-term period.
The clinical study involved 16 male and 16 female beagles, all healthy. The dogs were randomly divided into four groups, each given a different substance. The four types of treatments were:
- medium chain triglyceride oil as the control dose
- broad spectrum CBD
- broad spectrum cannabidiol with cannabigerol (CBD + CBG)
- broad spectrum CBD with cannabidiolic acid (CBD + CBDA)
After dosing the beagles for 90 consecutive days, followed by a 14-day recovery period, the researchers found that CBD and other cannabinoids are safe for long-term use. This conclusion was supported by an analysis of market surveillance data for 2010-2023, which shows a very low rate of adverse events of 2.1 and an even lower rate of .01 severe adverse events per one million doses sold. The data was obtained from the NASC Adverse Event Reporting Database. The NASC is the National Animal Supplement Council, a nonprofit that promotes animal health and monitors the animal health supplement industry.
NASC President Bill Bookout said,
“With safety studies, no matter how well controlled or meticulously defined, it is impossible to account for everything that can occur when a product is commercialized. That is why this safety study includes not only data from a well-designed study protocol but also ten years of post-market surveillance data from the NASC Adverse Event Reporting Database (NAERS®)…”
The researchers concluded that healthy dogs tolerated hemp-derived cannabinoids at a daily dose of 5 mg/kg of body weight.
This study is good news for dog owners who rely on CBD and other cannabinoids to address various issues. However, more research is needed before government agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration will be willing to promote the benefits of cannabinoids for pets. Dog owners should be vigilant and informed shoppers and buy only high-quality CBD for pets from companies with a reputation for honesty.
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