Table 2 Peer reviewed studies on CBD effects on companion animals
From: CBD for pets: navigating quality assurance, safety standards, and marketing strategies
Condition | Species | No of animals | Dosage | Objective | Result/Conclusion | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pruritis | Dogs | 8 | 0.07–0.125 mg/kg twice daily | Examine the effects of CBD-containing hemp oil without THC as a supplemental treatment for Canine Atopic Dermatitis in dogs | CBD was well tolerated over a wide dose range, decreasing pruritic occurrence in dogs with CAD when given twice daily | (Mogi et al. 2022) |
32 | 2Â mg/kg CBD/CBDA mix twice daily for 28Â days | Determine if CBD/CBDA is an effective therapy for CAD | CBD/CBDA decreased pruritic occurrence as an adjunct therapy but did not decrease skin lesions associated with CAD in dogs | (Loewinger et al. 2022) | ||
15 | N/A | Investigate the immunohistochemical expression of cannabinoid receptors in keratinocytes of healthy dogs and dogs with atopic dermatitis | Presence of cannabinoid receptors in healthy keratinocytes suggests a possible role of the endocannabinoid system in epidermal homeostasis. Potential therapeutic target for dogs with atopic dermatitis | (Chiocchetti et al. 2022) | ||
Anxiety | Cats | 10 | 4.0Â mg/kg/day for 2Â weeks | Examine the effects of CBD administration upon separation anxiety in healthy cats | The results suggest anxiety-reducing effects of CBD in cats | (Masataka. 2024) |
Dogs | 16 | 25 mg CBD, trazodone (100 mg for 10–20 kg BW, 200 mg for 20.1–40 kg BW), combination of CBD and trazodone | Evaluate the influence of CBD on behavioural responses to fear-inducing stimuli in dogs | The results do not support anxiolytic effects of CBD in dogs given 1.4 mg/CBD/kg BW/day | (Morris et al. 2020) | |
24 | 0-5 mg/CBD/kg BW/day | Determine the influence of CBD on the daily activity of adult dogs | CBD does not impact the daily activity of adult dogs when supplemented with up to 4.5 mg/CBD/kg BW/day. May exert antipruritic effects | (Morris et al. 2021) | ||
24 | 5% CBD oil | Determine if CBD affects stress related behaviour in shelter dogs | No significant results | (Corsetti 2021) | ||
40 | 4 mg/kg | Evaluate the effect of a single dose of a THC-free broad-spectrum CBD distillate on measures of canine stress during separation and car travel | The mitigating effect of CBD treatment varied by measure and test, with some indicating a significant reduction in canine stress compared to the placebo group | (Hunt et al. 2023) | ||
19 | 4 mg/kg | Evaluate whether multiple doses of a THC-free CBD distillate over a period of 6 months could positively influence measures of stress in dogs | The mitigating effect of CBD treatment varied by measure, with cortisol, whining, lip licking, and qualitative behavioural ratings indicating a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in canine stress compared to the placebo group for at least one time point | (Flint et al. 2024) | ||
Pain Relief/ Osteo-arthritis | Cats | 22 | 4Â mg/12Â h for 15Â days | Evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a commercially available CBD oral formulation as an adjunctive treatment for pain management of feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) | The protocol is safe since severe adverse effects and biochemical changes were not observed during the treatment period. This study suggests that the cats benefited from this treatment | (Coelho et al. 2023) |
Dogs | 4 | 2 or 8 mg/kg | Determine basic oral pharmacokinetics, and assess safety and analgesic efficacy of a cannabidiol (CBD) based oil in dogs with osteoarthritis | Study suggests that 2 mg/kg of CBD twice daily can help increase comfort and activity in dogs with OA | (Gamble et al. 2018) | |
10 | 2.4Â mg/15Â kg | Evaluate the efficacy of a new diet supplement in reducing chronic pain and improving mobility in dogs with Osteoarthritis | Results of a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) on HCPI highlighted a significant reduction of pain scores at the end of the study | (Martello et al. 2019) | ||
21 | 2Â mg/kg twice daily | Evaluate the efficacy of oral transmucosal CBD, in addition to a multimodal pharmacological treatment for chronic osteoarthritis-related pain in dogs | Pain Severity Score and Pain Interference Score was significantly lower in CBD than in Control group | (Brioschi et al. 2020) | ||
20 | 20-50Â mg/day naked CBD or 20Â mg/day liposomal CBD | Evaluate the safety and efficacy of CBD in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in a spontaneous canine model | Administration of liposomally-encapsulated or high-dose naked CBD (but not low-dose naked CBD or placebo) was associated with significant improvements to quality of life | (Verrico et al. 2020) | ||
Epilepsy | Dogs | 26 | 2.5Â mg/kg twice daily for 12Â weeks | Assess the effect of oral CBD administration in addition to conventional antiepileptic treatment on seizure frequency in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy | A significant reduction in seizure frequency was achieved for dogs in the CBD group, however the proportion of responders was similar between groups | (McGrath et al. 2019) |
14 | 2Â mg/kg twice daily for 12Â weeks | Examine a small cohort in a pilot investigation using a CBD and CBDA-rich hemp product for the treatment of refractory epileptic seizures in dogs | The use of 2Â mg/kg every 12Â h of a CBD/CBDA-rich hemp extract can have benefits in reducing the incidence of epileptic seizures, when used concurrently with other anti-seizure medications | (Garcia et al. 2022) | ||
Cats | 9 | 5 mg/kg | Describe the disposition of a single dose of a cannabidiol medication in healthy cats in both the fed and fasted state | The relative bioavailability of CBD shows a near 11-fold increase when administered in the fed state compared to the fasted state. Additionally, concentrations achieved at a dose of 5 mg/kg, may be sufficient to explore the therapeutic potential in cats with epilepsy | (Jukier et al. 2023) |