Cannabis for Pets: Beyond the Basics
As legislation for medical and recreational marijuana sweeps the country, the application of cannabis for dogs and cats has become a point of focus for pet parents and the veterinary community. This article, will cover more detailed information about cannabis and it’s medicinal use in dogs and cats. For a more basic understanding of cannabis for pets, check out my articles for cats here and dogs here.
Endocannabinoid System
Are you ready to geek out? There is a whole system in both human and animal bodies known as the endocannabinoid system. This system is located in the nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) and is made up of receptors. These receptors bind THC and CBD among other components of the cannabis plant. This system influences many processes related to pain, mood, immune function and much more. As this system is studied we will be able to understand why cannabis works so well for certain conditions. We may also expand the scope of what cannabis may treat.
There is still much to learn about the endocannabinoid system in people and pets. However, we do know that dogs have many more THC receptors (CB-1) in their brains compared with people. This is why they are more sensitive to effects of THC compared with their human counterpart. In other words, the amount needed for a person to become comfortably euphoric (high) can cause extreme high with negative effects of the nervous system in dogs.
As cannabis is bred to have more and more THC, veterinarians see more and more toxicity in dogs. Some of these cases can be deadly and cause much suffering for patients. If your veterinarian is not open to discuss cannabis (even without THC), this is most likely the reason. We all took an oath to first do no harm. As cannabis becomes legal across the US, veterinarians will have more opportunities to learn about the difference between hemp and marijuana.
Entourage
You may have heard of the ‘entourage effect’ when it comes to medicinal marijuana. This simply refers to the synergistic effect of THC on CBD. In other words, the presence of THC is thought to increase the medicinal effect of CBD. Many experts in the field recommend only products with THC due to this concept.
While this synergy may be beneficial for people, it is important that we consider our animal’s comfort when using cannabis. When a person consumes cannabis, they can report how they feel and titrate the dose independently. Our animal companions don’t have this ability. THC can cause paranoia, hallucinations and anxiety in people. This most likely occurs in dogs as well.
While most focus lies on THC and CBD, cannabis contains other medicinal constituents like terpenes and flavanoids. Terpenes are the aromatic oils in the plant. These enhance the medicinal effects of both CBD and THC. Flavenoids are chemical compounds found in plants. These compounds also have medicinal effects such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral and anti-anxiety.
Conditions Benefited from CBD
The list of conditions that are improved by cannabis grows daily in my practice. Often I recommend cannabis to treat one ailment, only to find it has improved other symptoms. These are the best side effects! These are the conditions I have seen improved with cannabis:
- Anxiety
- Arthritis/Pain
- Aggression
- Seizures
- Asthma
- Allergies
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Increased Immune Function
- Appetite Stimulation
I also use cannabis for patients with cancer. Depending on the type of cancer, CBD may slow the progression and offer the pet an increased sense of well being. Each type of cancer has different properties and behavior and will respond differently to CBD.
Dosing
Good news! Colorado State University is currently conducting clinical trials for the use of CBD in seizures and arthritis. As more research gets funded, we may begin to have a more information for the best dosing regimen. As it stands currently I use a wide dosing range of 0.1-3 mg/kg twice daily. My recommendations depend on the animal and the disease being treated.
Product Selection
As products flood the market, it is important that consumers make an educated purchases for themselves and their pet. My inbox is full of people asking about products they have purchased or considering purchasing. When I vet these products, I am looking for the following criteria.
- Farming practices.Has the plant been grown with the use of pesticides?
- Extraction method. Watch out for methods that use chemicals as these residues will be present in the final product.
- Some products contain too little CBD to be effective.
- Guaranteed analysis. Does the company test their product for the constituents beyond THC and CBD? Does it look at the terpenes and flavonoids? Check out the HempRx guaranteed analysis here.
- Other ingredients. Make sure you know what other ingredients are present. I prefer HempRx because it only contains hemp. For my very sensitive patients introducing one ingredient at a time is beneficial.
- Terpene/Flavanoid. As discussed earlier, CBD and THC are not the only medicinal components of cannabis. I only use products that have the terpene and flavanoid profile analyzed as well.
My absolute favorite product line is HempRx by Rx Vitamins for Pets. This line is specifically made for cats and dogs. It comes in an oil and chewable form. The oil comes in two concentrations so that dosing large dogs can become more affordable. The HempRx Soft Chewz (Cats/Small Dogs & Larger Dogs) are very palatable for picky pets.
For cats I recommend getting the regular strength HempRx and starting with 1-2 drops twice daily. This bottle will last approximately 2-3 months.
For dogs greater than 20 lbs I recommend the HempRx Forte as it will be the most economical.
Sending love to you and your furry friends!
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40 thoughts on “Cannabis for Pets: Beyond the Basics”
I have heard that dosing in the food is not as effective because it needs to go through the digestive tract…Do you suggest increasing dosage or frequency if putting in food or treat?
Hello Lauren,
You are smart to think about the best way CBD is administered. The current best practice is to give CBD in between large meals with a fatty snack. However, if you are treating a dog with a condition like pancreatitis or gastrointestinal disease, this could be harmful. I dose CBD with meals as opposed to an empty stomach, as the absorption is thought to be better. For a busy veterinarian, dosing with a meal is easy to remember and stay consistent. Hope that helps!
With love,
Dr. Angie
Thank you for sharing such useful information.
Hi there,
We are so glad this was helpful!
Warmly,
Claire
Hi Dr. Angie, my 8 year old aussie was diagnosed with Primary Pulmonary Carcinoma. We had surgery to remove the mass, and he is almost 2 weeks post surgery. (prognosis isn’t good as it has metastasized) As of this morning, I was giving him Gabapentin , Trazondone and Carprofen every 12 hours. 1 tablet each. My CBD oil arrived and I want to start using that. Can I start with that right away? The vet would like me to keep him on the Carprofen but if the CBD oil is an anti-inflammatory, I feel I may not need it? Thoughts? AND how long before he would experience benefits? Thank you!!
Hi Denise,
I am so sorry to hear about your sweet pup’s diagnosis, and I am sending you a massive huge.
I know this is a few days delayed – but you can absolutely go ahead and start the CBD. Carprofen is an excellent anti-inflammatory and pain medication, so I would go with both your vet’s recommendation and your gut.
As far as how long he would experience benefits, we would hope for a very long time! There’s quite a large dosing range for CBD, so depending on what dose you are starting at, there is likely a lot of wiggle room to work up if needed.
You are doing a great job!
Love,
Claire
Hello Dr Angie,
We have an 11 year old Aussie mix named Guinness. He was recently diagnosed with Apocrine Gland Adenocarcinoma. He does not do well with anesthesia at all and the last time he was under anesthesia for an x-ray we almost lost him. He takes 300mg gabapentin 3x a day and we give him, in the past we would give him 30mg of cbd 1 to 2x a day, plus we have also applied it a couple of times to the tumor on his rear. Because f his recent prescription changes we took him off the cbd as he was taking antibiotics for an infection but that has now cleared. What would you’re recommend be as for dosage of cbd with his recent diagnosis of cancer and do you know of anyone working with pets using thc/cbd?
Hi Gigi!
I am so sorry for our delayed response! And, I am so sorry to hear about your sweet boy’s cancer diagnosis.
How much does Guinness weigh? This way I can help calculate a dose! For pets with cancer, we usually suggest starting at 0.50mg/kg twice daily on day 1, working up to 1mg/kg twice daily by day 3. However, you can certainly work up from there if needed.
Guinness is so lucky to have you!
Warmly,
Claire
Hi Dr Angie. Our 12 year old kitty has suffered from asthma for 10 years. His episodes occur multiple times a day where he wheezes and coughs for a good minute. They sometimes seem to trigger when he purrs. Early on he had X-rays which revealed he has a narrowed trachea. So anything like allergies or inflammation make it worse. Do you think the Rx drops would be helpful? Thank you!
Hi Suzanne,
I am so sorry for this delayed response!
Yes! We have absolutely seen CBD help with asthma.
For kitties, we usually suggest HempRx, and our dosing chart is here. However, the dosing range is rather large and I’m happy to help walk you through that if that helps!
Keep us posted!
Warmly,
Claire
I have an 8lb shihtzu that has epilepsy and is on 25mg zonisimide 2x day and 30mg keppra 3x day. We have been using Nuleaf 2 drops (6mg) twice a day as well. However he is having breakthrough seizures. Any thoughts on increasing his CBD dose or is it kind of the max dose? Hes so small that increasing his meds or stronger meds are a bit of an issue.
Hi Bryana,
Thank you for reaching out!
I know seizures are really scary. You are doing a great job working with your primary veterinarian while also trying to incorporate CBD. Have you read Dr. Angie’s blog about seizures specifically? You can find it here.
As far as dosing goes, there was a CSU study done for dogs with seizures and they dosed up to 2.5mg/kg twice daily (that’s quite a high dose). For your pup’s weight, this dose would come to 9mg twice daily.
I hope that this helps!
Warmly,
Claire
We just recently got a great dane who at 6 months old were told his skull was crushed by his siblings. They said he had no issues and such but last night we saw him have his first seizure. My fiance just lost his job due to a death in the family and has joined the marines but he does not ship out to boot camp for two months. We decided to try to use cbd oil for the seizures but i am a little confused on the dosing. He weights approx 120 pounds and the cbd oil we can afford is 50mg per mil. How many mil should he receive to help stop the seizures? He has them it seems when hes sleeping.
We were giving our 14 yr. old, 33 lb., Goldendoodle CBD treats (2mg twice a day) to help with her arthritis. It seemed to help for a while, and then she got much worse–severe balance issues, weakness in her legs, unable to stay upright while peeing and pooping, and now a slight head tilt. The vet ruled out vestibular disease and thinks there may be some neurological things going on now, but financially an MRI is out of the question. He prescribed prednisone (15 mg a day). There has been marginal improvement. On other websites I read that we shouldn’t mix prednisone with CBD so we haven’t. I saw elsewhere on your website where it says you haven’t seen any issues with using both. Do you think we could safely add CBD or would we need to reduce the amount of prednisone she now gets. We’ve known she had some arthritis for a couple of years now, but these current symptoms showed up within a couple of months after she turned 14 last Sept.
Hi Gail,
While admittedly there is more information on CBD for pets coming out every year, we have not seen issues with giving Prednisone and CBD together. Is there an integrative veterinarian in your area who is more well versed in the use of CBD? I know sometimes that is (unfortunately) difficult to find!
The dosing that we usually suggest starting with is 0.25mg-0.50mg of CBD twice daily. For your pup’s weight, that would be around 4-8mg of CBD twice daily. So, it’s possible that tweaking her dosing a bit may help too!
Will you keep us posted?
Hugs,
Claire
Hi Doctor
Our Oscar (canine) has just been diagnosed with TCell lymphoma. We are at a loss. Thinking of doing aggressive chemo, is cbd safe to use in conjunction?
He’s only 6 and we can’t accept that we’ll still loose him in 10-12 months even with treatment. Can you kindly advise?
Hi Maura,
I am so, so sorry to hear about Oscar’s diagnosis. How incredibly overwhelming.
Yes, you can absolutely use CBD in conjunction with chemotherapy. That said, it would not be a bad idea to consult with Oscar’s oncologist as well.
For small dogs, we usually recommend HempRx. For medium/large sized dogs, we recommend HempRx Forte. Here is our dosing chart.
Big, giant hugs to you and your sweet boy.
Warmly,
Claire
My cat is not eating and I head CBD oil may work. He is 5 kg. What is an appropriate dose?
Hi Heather,
I’m so sorry to hear that your kitty isn’t eating well. 🙁 How long as he not been eating well? If he’s been on a few strike, it would also be worth touching base with his veterinarian as there are other ways to help encourage him to eat!
That said, we do see CBD help as an appetite stimulant!
For cats, we recommend HempRx and our dosing chart is here.
Please keep us posted! 🙂
Warmly,
Claire
Hi Dr. Angie;
My elderly dog white pitbull has arthritis and some days is hard for her to walk and she started limps on her right front leg. Then she rests and slows down for a couple of days and gets normal again. Also a few years ago she had surgery on both her back legs (TPLO) and she is on Meloxidyl mg/ml, 1.5 mg/ ml, 200 ml.
After I have read about the benefits and reviews of the CBD I want to give it a try. But I want to know if I can give the CBD with the actual Meloxidyl or not and dosage, she weighs around 80lbs.
I’d much appreciate any advice and help that you can give me!
Thanks,
Romina
Hi Romina,
Thank you for reaching out!
We see CBD be hugely helpful for so many arthritic pups.
The good news is that we have not seen any issues when giving CBD and Meloxidyl together.
Our design chart is here. For large pups, we usually recommend the HempRx Forte since it is the most economical option!
I hope this helps! If you try CBD, please keep us posted!
Warmly,
Claire
Gibbs is our 50 lb. hound mix with anxiety issues when we travel . I purchased the HempRX Soft Chewz from your site.
On our next road trip should I give him 2 chewz per the directions for his weight? Or start off with one and see how he handles them?
When should I give him the Chewz? Right before we leave or 30-60 mins prior to departure?
Thank you!
Hi Dawn,
Excellent questions, and I know we also chatted via email!
You can certainly start with 1 chew twice daily and work up from there, and as needed.
We usually recommend giving CBD 30 minutes prior to the stressful event (in Gibbs case, when traveling!).
I hope this helps – definitely let us know how it goes!
Warmly,
Claire
Hi. I have been using the Hemp Rx by Rx Vitamins for a few years for seizures and arthritic pain in my 16 year old cat. It is wonderful! I recently ordered a new bottle and the oil is green where it has always been clear in the past. I am worried there may be something wrong and was wondering if you know if the formulation for this recently changed causing that color change?
Many thanks!
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
I am so glad to hear that your sweet kitty has been responding so well to the use of HempRx! Woo hoo!!
The previous couple of batches of the HempRx are a bit more greenish than before, and this is due to the increased amount of chlorophyll in the batch. Potency and taste are the same!
I hope your recent bottle of HempRx has arrived. Thank you for being such a loyal customer.
Big hugs,
Claire
My dog was just diagnosed with osteosarcoma. He’s in the very early stages of it. I asked my vet about cbd oil and she recommended hemprx forte. I just bought it because it looked very promising. Does anyone know how it does with osteosarcoma?
Hi Katie,
I hope that you received your order this week, and were able to start your sweet pup on the CBD. Will you keep us posted on how it helps?
There is some research emerging, showing that CBD does have cancer fighting properties. That said, we often CBD used to help with symptoms associated with cancer (such as pain, anxiety, nauseousness and inappetance.
Sending you a big hug. Please let us know how we can continue to help. <3
Warmly,
Claire
Hi Dr Angie,
My kitty has just been diagnosed with small cell lymphoma, he is about 9 years old and is really having a ruff time right now. He was started on prednisone today, he cries for food but doesn’t eat much and does that only after I offer him a zillion choices. I’m thinking about CBD but my vet will not give me any direction, I have read your thoughts and recommendations and I know that you use it on your cancer patients, can you help me? I’d much appreciate and advice and help that you can give me!
Thanks!
Risa
Hi Risa,
I am so sorry to hear about your sweet kitty’s recent diagnosis. I know this is an overwhelming time, and I am sending you a giant hug.
CBD certainly has the ability to help with some of the symptoms associated with the lymphoma. It can be a great appetite stimulant, can help decrease nausea, decrease discomfort and increase an overall sense of wellbeing.
For kitties, we usually recommend starting with HempRx and our dosing chart is here. For cancer patients, Dr. Angie usually starts with 0.50mg/kg twice daily, working up to 1mg/kg twice daily by day 3.
I hope this information is helpful. Sending you all my love!
Warmly,
Claire
Hey there,
Has there been any studies looking into CBD and treating cats with Hyperesthesia yet?
Since anxiety, pain, inflammation and seizures are all linked to Hyperesthesia, I was hoping to find a more holistic helper for my cat.
thanks for your time
HI
I have a 20 yr kitty w fairly severe arthritis in her hips. She is a tabby and pretty slight build currently maintaining her weight at about 5 lbs. She is also a thyroid kitty on methmiziole (spelling) I’d like to start her on some CBD oil for some better pain relief but her vet isn’t real enthusiastic. Are there any concerns with her thyroid issues. I’m interested in her quality of life.
Hi Lori,
Thank you for reaching out!
We have seen CBD be massively helpful for arthritic kitties! It’s been amazing, especially since there aren’t a lot of great options for arthritic cats. For kitties, we usually recommend HempRx and our dosing chart is here.
We have not seen any negative interactions when using CBD and thyroid medications together.
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Claire
My elderly Border Collie has a slipped disc. I have her on Prednisone, tramadol, muscle relaxer, and an other pain med. I have also made a chiropractor appointment for her. Would Cannabis be beneficial to her. I am at a point that I am beginning to wonder about her quality of life.
Sue
Hi Sue!
I am so sorry to hear about the pain your Border Collie has been experiencing. I have great results using acupuncture and HempRx in my own practice treating disc disease. Sending you both tons of love.
Dr. Angie
My cat is about two years old and in the past 30 days has started pulling out the hair on it’s tail with his teeth. But he has now started pulling out the hair on other parts of his body. I’ve raised cats all my life and I’ve never seen this. Would CBD oil help out?
Hi Cathy,
Oh no! What does your kitty’s regular veterinarian think is going on?
CBD is great for anxiety, so if it’s anxiety related,it absolutely has the potential to help!
For kitties, we usually recommend the HempRx.
Please keep us posted!
Warmly,
Claire
Our siamese was overgrooming all the fur from his belly, legs & tail. Relief came to him when his dermatologist guessed that it may be due to a food allergy & put him on Royal Canin Rabbit & Pea prescription cat food. Truely a miracle for him!
Hi Kendall,
LOVE this story, so very glad your kitty is finally feeling relief. As a pet parent, there is no better feeling.
Thank you for sharing, it brings a smile to our faces!
Warmly,
Claire
Can you help me with my dog is a white pitbull with skin problems try everything nothing helps
Hi Maurine,
The first step in dealing with itchy dogs is to determine what they may be allergic to. Is it food or environmental? I usually start with diet and if I see no improvement, I move on to environmental allergies.
Warmly,
Dr. Angie