Is CBD Safe For Puppies?
A common concern we hear from pet parents is “Can I use CBD for puppies?” and “Is CBD safe for puppies?”
The short answer is, YES! Like all animals, puppies have an endocannabinoid system resulting in their bodies interacting with CBD, just like adult dogs. If you’re interested in CBD for your puppy, there are a few important things to know before you buy.
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Does My Puppy Need CBD?
First, in order to determine if CBD is the right option for your puppy, consider why you believe your puppy needs a supplement, like CBD. If you’ve never had a puppy before, a lot of their behaviors are likely new to you and it’s completely understandable for you to worry about your fur baby, even if there might not be anything wrong. Remember there are some behaviors that are completely normal for puppies, and may not actually necessitate any supplements.
Has your puppy been overly aggressive? Hyper? Anxious? Or, is she just being the average needy, playful puppy? CBD can definitely be beneficial for some puppies, just as it is for some adult dogs, but be aware of your puppy’s individual needs before blindly buying products.
Related: Your Guide to CBD for Pets
IS CBD Safe for Puppies?
Yes, CBD has no age limitations, no known toxicity level, and can be beneficial for puppies, adult dogs, and senior dogs. Cannabinoids like CBD from a Full Spectrum Hemp Extract have been shown to be very safe and full of health boosting properties for puppies, and dogs of all ages.
A set of clinical trials tested for adverse reactions from escalating doses of CBD for dogs, with a maximum dose of 640 mg of CBD. (That’s up to 70x higher than our standard recommended dose for dogs!) Even with such high escalating dosages of CBD for dogs, no lethal dose detected and adverse events were mild.
According to a 2018 WHO report, naturally occurring CBD is safe and well tolerated in humans and animals, and is not associated with any negative public health effects. “CBD has been found to be generally well tolerated and to have a good safety profile.”
In this 2020 study, 20 healthy Beagles were tested to determine the safety and tolerance of escalating CBD, THC, or CBD and THC dosage in the dogs. Using 10 females, and 10 males, the dogs were given up to 10 escalating doses in a three-day span. Overall, the dogs tolerated the escalation dosages very well only experiencing mild adverse effects.
Related: CBD Studies & Research
Benefits of CBD for Puppies
CBD for puppies can offer a safe, healthy alternative to pharmaceutical medications. CBD is gaining more recognition for its many research-supported, and anecdotally reported, health benefits. As more research is done on CBD for animals every year, studies are revealing the many ways it can potentially help our animals. Introducing CBD at a young age may also decrease the risk of developing endocannabinoid deficiencies later in life. Providing nursing mother dogs may also be beneficial in preventing endocannabinoid deficiency in her offspring.
According to research, the endocannabinoid 2-AG is found in abundance in breast milk. Current research shows that 2-AG is partially responsible for helping babies survive by stimulating the suckling response; a response associated with CB1 receptors in the endocannabinoid system. Specifically, the Journal of Neuroendocrinology stated “during three distinct developmental stages (i.e. embryonic implantation, prenatal brain development and postnatal suckling), the endocannabinoid system appears to play an essential role for development and survival.” The same study went on to state “the endocannabinoid system plays several key roles in pre-and postnatal development.
Research has shown how CBD and the other cannabinoids in a Full Spectrum Hemp Extract may be able to help your pet, from relieving pain to reducing seizure frequency. If your puppy needs help with allergies, anxiety, pain, skin conditions, immune system support, seizures, or other conditions, CBD for puppies may be the right choice.
CBD for Puppy Anxiety
According to our Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Zac Pilossoph, “Anxiety and hyperactivity would be something CBD may help with, especially if the case is a hyper puppy at night, unable to regulate sleep.” This is because the endocannabinoid system, which CBD interacts with, regulates sleep, as well as appetite, metabolism, stress, mood, motor control, and more.
It’s important to add here, just because you have a hyper puppy, doesn’t mean there is something wrong. Puppies are young and tend to experience the world in a playful, exciting way. Appearing to be ‘hyper’ can be good. The willingness to explore and become a well-rounded adult dog is actually encouraged. It’s part of a process we, as Canine Behaviorists, call socialization.
The lack of socialization can lead to aggressive behavior, severe anxiety, excessive chewing, excessive vocalizations, and other serious behavioral conditions. In my experience, there are many cases where a dog must have behavior modification conducted due to not having sufficient exposure to ‘life’ as a puppy.
However, in the case of puppies with grooming anxiety, separation anxiety, noise anxiety such as thunderstorm anxiety and fireworks anxiety, may all benefit from CBD for puppies. We recommend our CALM: CBD oil for dogs, for puppies with anxiety or hyperactivity issues.
CBD for Puppy Allergies & Skin Conditions
As we’ve discussed, CBD and the other compounds found in a full spectrum hemp extract work to bring the body’s systems into homeostasis. This includes regulating the immune system, inflammation and immune responses to allergens.
There are tons of cannabinoid receptors throughout the organs that control our pet’s immune systems. Instead of completely turning off the immune responses, as medications like Apoquel and Benadryl do, CBD instead increases communication between cells in the immune system. This encourages a more moderate and targeted response to allergy symptoms.
CBD can be beneficial for puppies with allergies and skin conditions. At CBD Dog Health, we designed the EASE: CBD Oil for Dogs to specifically target allergies in pets. Additionally, the skin is often the first place allergy symptoms appear, topical CBD is one of the best ways to reduce redness and moderate the immune response, while taking away the discomfort that causes them to itch and scratch, or bite and chew their paws. For puppies with allergies, we’ve also bundled our Ease CBD tincture and Soothe CBD salve in our Allergy Duo.
Related: CBD Salve for Dog Skin Conditions
CBD for Puppy Pain
CBD from a Full Spectrum Hemp Extract offers safe, natural pain relief for puppies, as an alternative to prescription pain medications. Is your puppy struggling with painful teething or even pain from another condition or injury? CBD is a great anti inflammatory as well as analgesic.
Compounds found in cannabis that reduce inflammation are abundant and diverse. The most abundant phytocannabinoids in cannabis, THC and CBD, both have strong anti-inflammatory properties, while CBC, CBG, and THCV have also demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties. CBD offers safe, natural pain relief by altering the manner in which the central nervous system communicates the sensation of pain to the brain, weakening the pain signals that cause our pets to feel pain.
This study on the role of the cannabinoid system on the control of pain states that CBD has therapeutic benefits for both people and pets suffering from chronic pain and acute chronic pain episodes. Another study at Baylor college of Medicine found CBD significantly decreased pain and increased mobility in a dose-dependent fashion.
For puppies with painful teething or other pain, our Ease: CBD oil for dogs is a natural anti-inflammatory, formulated with frankincense and turmeric, to target inflammation, balance the immune system and soothe your dog’s aches and pains.
Related: Natural Pain Relief for Dogs
Final Thoughts
Discussing your puppy’s unique situation with a holistic or integrative veterinarian prior to making the decision to administer CBD can be helpful. CBD is generally safe with only mild adverse effects such as lethargy and diarrhea, but behavior or problems you see your puppy experiencing may not be an actual problem, but rather normal for their age or breed.
If you are still unsure if CBD is right for your puppy, which CBD product to choose, how to dose and administer CBD for puppies, or if you have any other CBD-related questions, you can reach out to our team for help anytime.
