With the use of CBD oil becoming common in people for many different ailments, many pet owners are wondering about its use in dogs, or have begun giving it to their dogs.

At this time, there has been one small controlled study by Cornell University showing apparent safety and some effectiveness of one CBD Oil product, by Ellevet, for pain in dogs. This study used a dose of 2 mg per Kg of body weight of CBD twice daily. The cost of the Ellevet Product at this dose is rather high, $3 per day or more.

Anecdotally, the use of CBD Oil in dogs appears to be well-tolerated. However, CBD oil can potentially alter the metabolism of other medications, so the use of CBD oil may not be safe for dogs taking certain medications.

There have been no published studies showing safety of CBD oil in cats.

It is important to note that CBD oil is a nutraceutical, not a drug, and therefore is not regulated by the FDA. This means that a particular product may or may not contain what it says or the amount of active ingredients it says on the label. These products also are not required to undergo the same testing as prescription or OTC drugs to demonstrate safety or effectiveness. Consumer Lab is a group that tests nutraceuticals for potency (to see if they contain what they say they do) and for some contaminants. These are some of the less-expensive CBD products that Consumer Lab tested that were free of the contaminants tested for and contained the amount of CBD that the label states:

Elixinol Natural Drops Hemp Oil + Coconut Extract

Bluebird Botanicals Hemp Classic

Plus CBD Oil Hemp Softgels

Plus CBD Oil Capsules

CW Paws

Ananda Hemp Zero THC Extract

In a nutshell, CBD oil seems to be fairly safe to use in dogs. However, there may be a huge variation between different brands and products, and some may not contain what the label says that they do. In general, CBD products tend to be somewhat expensive, as well. There may be less-expensive options for treatment of pain in dogs that have stronger evidence that they work.

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