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CBD for dogs

Small trials of CBD in dogs show mixed results for arthritis pain and some reduction in seizures as an add-on. In Australia it needs a vet's prescription.

Facts checked 13 November 20265 min readHow we research

The research on CBD in dogs is small and mixed. For arthritis pain, results depend on who is doing the measuring. For epilepsy, two small trials found fewer seizures when CBD was added to existing medicines. In Australia, CBD for a dog is lawful only on a veterinarian’s prescription.1

Does CBD help dogs with arthritis?

Our reading: limited and conflicting evidence.

Three placebo-controlled trials are usually cited.

Trial Dogs What happened
Gamble and others, 2018 22 enrolled, 16 completed Crossover trial of a CBD-rich hemp oil at 2 mg/kg twice daily for 4 weeks. Owner-rated pain and activity improved, and vet-rated pain improved. Lameness and weight-bearing did not change significantly.2
Verrico and others, 2020 20 Owner and vet ratings of pain fell with a higher dose or a liposomal form of CBD.3
Mejia and others, 2021 23 Crossover trial. No difference between CBD and placebo on objective gait analysis, activity monitors or clinical scores.4

The pattern matters. The positive results come from ratings by owners and vets. The trial that relied on objective measurements found nothing. Ratings are open to the caregiver placebo effect, where a hopeful owner sees improvement that instruments do not.

A knowledge summary in the journal Veterinary Evidence concluded that the evidence for CBD oil relieving osteoarthritis pain in dogs, on top of conventional treatment, “is weak”.4

Does CBD help dogs with seizures?

Our reading: limited evidence, as an add-on only.

  • McGrath and others, 2019. A randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled trial at Colorado State University in 26 dogs with epilepsy that had not responded to treatment (12 on CBD, 14 on placebo). CBD was added to the dogs’ usual medicines. Seizure frequency fell more with CBD, and the fall tracked with the level of CBD in the blood.5
  • Rozental and others, 2023. A double-blind crossover trial in 51 dogs with drug-resistant epilepsy. CBD at 9 mg/kg a day reduced total seizures and seizure days compared with placebo. The authors advise monitoring liver enzymes.6
  • Garcia and others, 2022. A crossover trial in 14 dogs tested a hemp extract rich in CBD and CBDA (the raw acid form of CBD) at 2 mg/kg twice daily for 12 weeks against placebo.7

In every one of these trials the dogs stayed on their existing anti-seizure medicines. None tested CBD as a replacement. Stopping a dog’s prescribed seizure medicine is a decision for the treating vet.

Does CBD help anxiety in dogs?

We found no controlled trial we could cite for anxiety, storm fear or separation distress in dogs. The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) lists anxiety among the conditions where interest in medicinal cannabinoids is growing, but says registered veterinary medicines should be used where they can achieve the result.1

What doses did the trials use?

The trials above used between 2 mg/kg twice daily and 9 mg/kg a day, given by researchers who monitored the dogs with blood tests.26 These are descriptions of research, not instructions. Products differ in strength and content, and a prescribing vet sets the dose for an individual dog.

What are the side effects in dogs?

The most consistent finding is a change on blood tests.

  • In the 2018 arthritis trial, “serum chemistry showed an increase in alkaline phosphatase during CBD treatment”.2 Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an enzyme measured in routine blood tests, often as a marker of liver function.
  • In a six-month study of 40 healthy dogs, 20 were given CBD at 4 mg/kg a day. It was well tolerated. The main laboratory change was a rise in ALP in just over half of the dogs given CBD.8 The study was funded by a pet food company.
  • The 2023 epilepsy trial’s authors advise monitoring liver enzymes in dogs on CBD.6

What a raised ALP means for a dog’s long-term health is not settled. It is the reason vets may want blood tests before and during treatment.

The AVA’s overall view is that “early indications suggest CBD is likely to be relatively safe in animals”, with cautious prescribing.1

Is THC dangerous for dogs?

Yes. In a study of 223 dogs with THC poisoning, 88 per cent had ataxia (wobbly, uncoordinated movement), 75 per cent were over-sensitive to touch or sound, 63 per cent were lethargic and 46 per cent leaked urine.9 The AVA says animals affected by THC “can suffer severe complications which may be fatal”.1

Many human cannabis medicines contain THC. So can products sold as “CBD” by unregulated sellers. See pet safety.

Only through a vet. According to the AVA:

  • vets may prescribe CBD products that meet the Schedule 4 definition, where CBD is 98 per cent or more of the cannabinoids
  • compounded CBD from a licensed compounding pharmacy is permissible
  • Schedule 8 products (those with more THC) and Schedule 3 products are not allowed for animals
  • “to date”, the national veterinary medicines regulator (the APVMA) has not approved any medicinal cannabis product for animal use. That policy was ratified in July 2023, and we could not confirm the position as of November 2026.1

The AVA also says a registered veterinary medicine should be used where one can achieve the result.1 For the law in more detail, see CBD for pets in Australia.

What should you raise with your vet?

  • The registered treatments for your dog’s condition and whether they have been tried.
  • Every medicine and supplement your dog takes.
  • Whether blood tests are needed before and during treatment.
  • For any treatment, what change you would expect to see, and when it would be stopped if that change does not appear.

Footnotes

  1. Australian Veterinary Association. Use of medicinal cannabis in animals (policy, ratified 20 July 2023). https://www.ava.com.au/policy/use-of-medicinal-cannabis-in-animals ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  2. Gamble LJ and others. Pharmacokinetics, safety, and clinical efficacy of cannabidiol treatment in osteoarthritic dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2018. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2018.00165/full ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. Review summarising Verrico and others, 2020. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10830036/ ↩

  4. Veterinary Evidence. Knowledge summary on CBD oil for canine osteoarthritis pain, including Mejia and others, 2021. https://veterinaryevidence.org/index.php/ve/article/download/701/1080?inline=1 ↩ ↩2

  5. Colorado State University, via ScienceDaily. Report of McGrath and others, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2019. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190521101450.htm ↩

  6. Rozental AJ and others. The efficacy and safety of cannabidiol as adjunct treatment for drug-resistant idiopathic epilepsy in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16912 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  7. Garcia GA and others. Safety and efficacy of cannabidiol-cannabidiolic acid rich hemp extract in the treatment of refractory epileptic seizures in dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9372618/ ↩

  8. Bradley S and others. Long-term daily feeding of cannabidiol is well-tolerated by healthy dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9533147/ ↩

  9. Study of 223 dogs with THC toxicosis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38608656/ ↩

Common questions

Does CBD help dogs with arthritis?

The evidence is limited and conflicting. In two small trials, owners and vets rated pain as lower with CBD. In a third, objective gait analysis and activity monitors showed no difference between CBD and placebo. A veterinary evidence review called the evidence weak.

Does CBD help dogs with seizures?

Two small placebo-controlled trials found that adding CBD to a dog's existing anti-seizure medicines reduced seizures more than placebo. CBD was an add-on in both, so the trials do not support using it in place of prescribed medicine.

How much CBD should I give my dog?

We do not give doses for animals. Trials have used a range of doses under veterinary supervision, and in Australia CBD for a dog is a prescription medicine, so the vet sets the product and the dose.

Can I give my dog my own CBD oil?

No. A human prescription covers the person it was written for, and many human cannabis medicines contain THC, which is toxic to dogs. The Australian Veterinary Association says Schedule 8 cannabis products are not allowed for animals.

This page is general information, not medical or legal advice. Laws and evidence change; we show the date we last checked the facts at the top of every page. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

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