OUR GUIDE TO SUCCESSFULLY DOSING CBD PRODUCTS FOR DOGS
*Disclaimer: This article is not meant to serve as a substitute for veterinary advice. Dr.Hempdog believes firmly in the contents of this article because of the thorough research that backs it up and our own experiences with the thousands of dogs that we have helped through the years (including our own). You should always defer to your veterinarian when adding anything to your dog's unique wellness routine.
We can’t stress this enough: even if you use the best CBD product in the world, it’ll only function properly if you give your dog the right dose. In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about dosing successfully with CBD products.
For those looking for a quick reference, you can follow these simple steps to figure out how much of our product to use (we expand on this further below):
- Before you start, make sure you know what’s in your product and its type (i.e. full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate). You can confirm the contents of a product using its lab work and the ingredients listed by the manufacturer.
- Note that broad-spectrum products and isolates simply aren’t as effective as full-spectrum CBD, and may also need to be dosed differently. If you want to use these types of products regardless, talk to the manufacturer for their dosing guidelines.
- Dosing should be done by weight. For our full-spectrum product, we recommend giving your dog 1 or 2 mg of CBD per ten pounds that they weigh, once or twice a day depending on the severity of their condition (1 mg for lighter symptoms, 2 mg for severe). For example, a 100-pound dog with light arthritis might take 10 mg of our CBD product, once a day in the morning.
- In special cases, such as end-of-life issues, dosing may vary. Ask the manufacturer and/ or a veterinarian for their recommendation.
Once you know the correct dosage, it is best to dose it on top of food or a treat for most effective absorption and results. CBD can be dosed directly into the mouth but is only recommended for certain circumstances. Most dogs enjoy the MCT Coconut Oil we use as our carrier oil!
To learn more about the best dose for your dog, contact us by visiting our website, giving us a call at (720) 773-9595, or emailing us at woof@drhempdog.com.
Why Proper Dosing is Crucial
Giving your dog the right dose of CBD is crucial; if you use too little, you might not see much of an effect. We have many customers who will underdose their dogs because they’re worried about intoxication. However, as we explain below, overdosing your dog is extremely unlikely if you use common sense, and studies show that CBD is safe for animals. Although we do recommend that dogs with sensitive stomachs start with a low dose and build up slowly, they aren’t going to see the results they need until they reach the proper dose.
What About Overdosing?
It takes an immense dose of CBD (~10x the recommended amount) to cause any side effects at all; even when such a high dose is used, studies show that the only side effects that manifest tend to be minor ones, such as lethargy or diarrhea. If you’d like to learn more, our article about CBD’s safety for dogs discusses these studies in more detail.
- From Frontiers in Veterinary Science: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33134364/
In our experience, our product doesn’t induce drowsiness or other such side effects when dosed properly. We’ve never had any issues from people accidentally giving their dog a few extra drops of our CBD tincture, or even a double dose. In reality, you’d probably just be wasting the product, since dogs only need a certain amount of CBD to achieve results!
What’s the Difference Between Dosing for Humans vs. Dogs?
CBD products function by activating the endocannabinoid system found in dogs and in all other animals. In full-spectrum products, the small amount of THC present can further enhance the overall effectiveness of the tincture, which is known as the entourage effect. However, dogs’ endocannabinoid systems are significantly more sensitive to THC than humans are, so they only need a little bit of THC to see a powerful effect, whereas humans typically need more THC to see the same benefits.
For those of you who are wondering whether or not you can take Dr.Hempdog as a human: the answer is yes*! Dr.Hempdog’s products are human-grade, federally compliant, industrial hemp, which studies show to generally be just as safe for humans as for dogs. Many of our team members and countless customers use Dr.Hempdog whenever they need a CBD tincture for personal use, so we can attest to the effectiveness of our product for humans.
*Quick disclaimer: We’re not veterinarians, and this isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a health professional before adding new products to your wellness routine, especially if you’re using other medications concurrently.
We’ve helped thousands of animals be successful with our full-spectrum CBD products, so we know how important proper dosing is. If you have any questions at all about how to use our tinctures or about the safety of CBD, we encourage you to schedule a free, 15-minute consultation with our expert staff by visiting our website, calling/ texting us at (720) 773-9595, or emailing us at woof@drhempdog.com.