CBD use in pets is certainly a hot topic today.
What is CBD?
CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is a natural compound that comes from cannabis or hemp plants. It is used in humans for various reasons such as relieving anxiety and depression, improving sleep as well as pain-relief. Some people have started using it in their pets to achieve the same results.
CBD vs THC
To keep it simple, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is a psychoactive and produces a “high”, whereas CBD generally does not. When it comes to your pet THC = always bad!
Can I use CBD in my pet?
At the correct dose CBD is usually safe to give to your pet. Should you give CBD to your pet though? For all practical purposes, the blanket answer would be no. The reason for this is because most CBD products are not well regulated. It can contain less or more CBD than it claims. This is even true for CBD pet products. I will shortly reference a study called Cannabinoid, Terpene, and Heavy Metal Analysis of 29 Over-the-Counter Commercial Veterinary Hemp Supplements by J J Wakshlag et al. They looked at 29 over the counter CBD supplements. Out of these 29 CBD products, 4 were contaminated with heavy metals, 2 had no CBD in them and only 10 of the remaining products had a cannabinoid concentration within 10% of what was claimed on the label. You never know what you get.
Can my pet get CBD poisoning?
Yes! The accepted CBD dosage for your pet is very low, making it very easy to overdose them. Common symptoms usually include vomiting, drooling, incoordination, urinary incontinence and dilated pupils. It can also cause seizures and other life-threatening symptoms.
What to do in case of suspected poisoning:
Immediately contact your vet. Most vets have a human drug testing kit that can be used to confirm a diagnosis, but a history of ingestion and presence of clinical signs are also enough to make a tentative diagnosis and initiate treatment. If ingestion has just occurred and no symptoms are present, your vet might try to induce vomiting to remove as much of the substance before digestion and absorption. If symptoms are already present, the focus shifts more to supportive care and reducing further absorption. Each treatment protocol might differ between vets and the severity of clinical signs. It might take up to a few days for the drug to completely exit the system.
What is the take-away message? CBD can be good, THC is always bad and if you are interested in using CBD products for your pet, please always contact your vet.