Can cannabidiol (CBD) help dogs in the same way it helps humans? This is what a recent study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science hopes to address as a team of scientists investigated the benefits of incorporating CBD products into dog products. This study has the potential to help scientists, legislators, and the public better understand the health benefits of CBD for both humans and animals.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data obtained from the Dog Aging Project (DAP), which is an organization designed to gain insight into dog aging, lifestyle, diet, and environmental factors. Surveys were conducted from 47,444 dog owners between December 2019 and December 2023, with the first surveys being s baseline regarding a dog’s overall health status, while the second survey was used to ascertain the amount of CBD or hemp the owners fed their dogs while also assessing changes in behavior and/or health.
In the end, the researchers found that healthy dogs were less likely to use CBD, whereas dogs with limiting health conditions like dementia, epilepsy, or cancer were more likely to use CBD. Additionally, CBD-use dogs were found to exhibit less aggressive behavior compared to non-use dogs. Finally, the team found that states where CBD was legal had higher rates of dogs using CBD.
The study notes in its conclusions, “The long-term use of CBD is associated with less intense aggressive behaviors in dogs. At a population level, further observational studies are needed to address the product composition, dosing regimens, formulation effects, and population-specific effects of cannabinoid-based supplements to companion dogs nationwide. At a clinical level, further targeted placebo-controlled trials are needed to evaluate CBD effectiveness in dog training and in managing behavioral and psychiatric issues.”
What new insight into CBD and dogs will researchers make in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!
As always, keep doing science & keep looking up!
Sources: Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Marijuana Moment
