What dose of CBD oil do I use for my dog?

If you are wondering when and how to use CBD oil for your dog, you're not alone! Luckily we have some controlled research to help guide us in our decision for dosing hemp and CBD products for dogs.^{(1, 2)}

Based on the latest research about CBD use in dogs, we know that 1-2 milligrams per kilogram CBDis a good starting point for most dogs. Now, use the dog's weight to determine how that might look:

Example: 45 pound border collie with joint pain. Divide 45lb by 2.2 and you get 20.45kg. 20-40milligrams of CBD would be appropriate.

To avoid conversion, you can use 0.45-0.9 milligrams per pound CBD. Multiply by the dogs weight (in this case, 45lb) and you will also get 20-40 milligrams of CBD per dose.

Importantly, you must know how many milligrams per milliliter (or bottle) is in your pet's CBD product. Reputable companies should have mg/ml or total bottle mg count and volume right on the label. At VetCS, we make easy dosing instructions available on every bottle. Week 1 dose is 2mg/kg and Week 2+ dose is 1mg/kg.

Going back to the border collie, if you bought a 1200mg bottle of CBD oil and it's total volume is 30ml, then that formula is 40mg/ml. We wanted 20-40mg CBD per dose, so you would give 0.5-1ml twice daily to help the joint pain. We often recommend the higher dosing amount (1ml in this case) for moderate to severe pain.

How often should you dose CBD?

Research has shown that the half-life range in dogs given CBD oil is 3-4.2 hours.(3,4) That means dosing twice daily is best for your pup. However, when using CBD to relieve anxiety (car trips, thunderstorms, etc), simply dosing 30 minutes before an anticipated stressful event is all you need to give. For other conditions such as mobility issues, seizures, and decreased appetite, twice daily dosing is recommended to best help your dog.

Remember that dosing is dependent on condition as well. Dogs with anxiety typically respond to much lower doses of CBD (0.25-0.5mg/kg) than dogs continuing to have seizures despite numerous pharmaceuticals. In these instances, talking to your veterinarian is best with pets that are already on medications. Alternatively, our team at VetCS can help you determine dosing, just contact us by phone, email, or chat!

References:

1. Gamble LJ, Boesch JM, Frye CW, et al. Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Clinical Efficacy of Cannabidiol Treatment in Osteoarthritic Dogs. Front Vet Sci. 2018;5:165. Published 2018 Jul 23. doi:10.3389/fvets.2018.00165
2. Brioschi FA, Di Cesare F, Gioeni D, et al. Oral Transmucosal Cannabidiol Oil Formulation as Part of a Multimodal Analgesic Regimen: Effects on Pain Relief and Quality of Life Improvement in Dogs Affected by Spontaneous Osteoarthritis. Animals (Basel). 2020;10(9):1505. Published 2020 Aug 26. doi:10.3390/ani10091505
3. Bartner LR, McGrath S, Rao S, Hyatt LK, Wittenburg LA. Pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol administered by 3 delivery methods at 2 different dosages to healthy dogs. Can J Vet Res. 2018;82(3):178-183.
4. Deabold KA, Schwark WS, Wolf L, Wakshlag JJ. Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics and Preliminary Safety Assessment with Use of CBD-Rich Hemp Nutraceutical in Healthy Dogs and Cats. Animals (Basel). 2019;9(10):832. Published 2019 Oct 19. doi:10.3390/ani9100832