Is cannabis positively affecting the well-being of dogs?

The research, coordinated by Waltham Petcare Science Institute for Mars, was carried out in 40 dogs for half a year to prove tolerance of daily oral doses of cannabidiol (CBD).

Researchers gave each dog a daily THC-free CBD dose of 4 mg/kg of body weight and tested urine, feces, and plasma to quantify the level of cannabis in the animals’ bodies.

The results, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, said that the general well-being of healthy dogs “was not negatively impacted” by CBD administration.

“I’m heartened to see this study on the safety of CBD for dog health,” said Mars’ Chief Medical Officer Jennifer Welser.

Welser said they hope that with “continued research,” they will be able to provide reliable science-based guidance to pet parents.

The study was carried out in 40 healthy dogs: 17 Labrador Retrievers, 8 Beagles, and 15 Norfolk Terriers. They divided the dogs into two parallel treatment groups: one using CBD and the other taking a placebo.

Research in cats

The Mars investigation is not the first one tackling the safety of CBD in pets.

Canopy Growth Corporation, a company that researches and develops cannabis and hemp-based consumer products in Canada, did the same experiment with 20 healthy adult Beagles.

The animals were given different measures of cannabis extract or a placebo oil formulation once daily for 28 days.

The results, published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research in May 2021, showed that repeated CBD administration was “well tolerated” by dogs with “no clinically important changes in measured safety outcomes.”

A study from the same company on adult cats concluded that CBD was “generally well tolerated” by healthy cats with only mild adverse reactions.

The research, published in the American Association of Feline Practitioners’ Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, administered CBD in 20 healthy cats.