CBD Oil – Is It Right For Your Pet?

CBD Oil
Is it right for your pet? CBD oil is the new “miracle product,” both for people and their pets. It is reported to decrease pain, reduce seizures, and reduce anxiety.

Disclaimer: We as veterinarians are under the jurisdiction of the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and if we violate their rulings, we can lose our ability to prescribe drugs. We are unable to recommend or discuss the use of CBD oil or other CBD products as part of your pet’s health treatment plan.

The Good: More studies are being done on CBD oil in pets. In the most recent (June 1, 2019) Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, a study showed benefit (along with traditional medicine) in seizure control in dogs. It is our hope that additional studies will give us information on the best uses and doses.

The Bad: Out of 84 products reputed to have CBD oil, testing showed that 57 of them did not have what they advertised. In the wild west of the CBD world, many had heavy metals, pesticides, or infective agents in them. Until CBD products are better regulated, that will continue to be the case. There are rare companies, like Charlotte’s Web that have better quality control.

The Future: the FDA is beginning to determine if cannabis can be sold without violating federal law. Hopefully, we will soon be able to add this substance to our arsenal for the health and happiness of our patients. We will keep you posted.

Bonn-Miller MO, Loflin MJE, Thomas BF, Marcu JP, Hyke T, Vandrey R. Labeling
Accuracy of Cannabidiol Extracts Sold Online. JAMA. 2017;318(17):1708–1709.
doi:10.1001/jama.2017.11909