How CBD can help with anxiety in pets
If you’re a pet parent, seeing your dog or cat struggle with anxiety can be heart-wrenching. Anxiety in pets can lead to behavioural issues and a diminished quality of life, and it can cause stress and worry in pet parents. While there are conventional treatment options available, many pet owners are exploring natural alternatives, like CBD, to help their anxious pets.
Consult with your vet to obtain a prescription for a suitable high-quality CBD product to ensure the best results for your furry friend. By carefully integrating CBD into your pet’s wellness plan, you might be able to help them live a calmer, happier life.
Does anxiety affect pets?
Anxiety in pets can manifest in various ways including excessive barking or vocalisation, destructive behaviour, urinating or defecating indoors, hiding, restlessness or aggression.
Pets can experience different forms of anxiety, including:
Separation anxiety: Fear of being left alone
Noise phobia: Sensitivity to loud noises like fireworks or thunderstorms
Travel anxiety: Stress during car rides or in new environments
Generalised anxiety: Constant nervous behaviour or fearfulness without an obvious cause
Prescription medications can be helpful to decrease anxiety, but they may not be suitable or effective for every pet, and they may come with unwanted side effects. This is where CBD can serve as a promising alternative or complementary therapy.
Let’s dive into how CBD works, and what the research says about CBD and its potential to ease anxiety in pets.
What is CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a naturally-occurring compound derived from the cannabis plant. Unlike THC, the compound responsible for the “high” associated with marijuana, CBD is non-intoxicating. This makes it a popular choice for people and pets alike, as it can deliver the therapeutic benefits of cannabis without causing intoxication.
How does CBD work?
CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a complex cell-signalling system which is found in all mammals. The function of the ECS is to maintain homeostasis (physiological balance) in the body. It does this in a variety of ways including reducing pain and inflammation, modulating the immune system, and regulating mood. CBD is believed to activate serotonin receptors, the neurotransmitter that boosts mood and reduces anxiety.
What the research says
While research on CBD’s effects on anxiety in pets is still emerging, there are some promising studies in both animals and humans that offer insight into its potential benefits.
CBD for anxiety in humans
A 2020 systematic review examined eight studies on the effects of CBD on anxiety and anxiety-related disorders in healthy human subjects. Various anxiety assessment scales showed that CBD improved clinical outcomes and was generally well tolerated, with minimal adverse effects, the most common being fatigue and sedation. It was concluded that while CBD shows promise as an alternative therapy for anxiety disorders, more research with standardised dosing and outcome measures is needed to establish its optimal use.
A randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study (2024) tested CBD, using Medigrowth products, as a treatment for paediatric autism spectrum disorder. The results showed significant improvements in anxiety and social interaction scores compared to a placebo, with parents also reporting reduced parenting stress. These findings are very promising, however, it must be noted that the paper has not yet undergone peer review.
In a 2024 randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group cohort study conducted over 15 weeks, whereby 178 participants across multiple sites in India were enrolled. The study found that nanodispersible CBD was therapeutically safe, well tolerated, and effective in treating mild to moderate anxiety disorders, along with associated depression and sleep disturbances.CBD for separation anxiety in dogs
Separation anxiety is a frequent concern among dog owners, especially as routines change with work-from-home arrangements decreasing or ending for some people. Excessive vocalisation is a common symptom of separation anxiety in dogs. A study published in 2024, demonstrates that dogs vocalise more often when being left alone than when being with their caregivers. The study shows how the administration of CBD decreased the excessive vocalisation, more than the placebo, in dogs that were separated from their caregivers. The author of the study concluded that CBD has an anxiolytic (anxiety-diminishing) effect in dogs, as has been reported in humans.CBD for acute stress in dogs
This recent study (2023) tested the effects of a single dose of CBD being administered to dogs during separation from their caregiver and car travel. A single dose of CBD, at 4 mg per kg body weight, was administered orally to the dogs 2 hours prior to the stressful event. It is evident from the results that the single dose of CBD positively influenced the dogs during both separation and vehicle travel. This suggests that CBD may be effective as an intervention for acute (short-term) stress in dogs.CBD for chronic stress in dogs
This randomised, placebo-controlled, blinded study (2024) tested the impact of daily dosing of CBD, at 4 mg/kg body weight, on dogs’ responses to a repeated stress test over six months. The CBD was administered orally 2 hours before exposure to car travel. Stress and anxiety were evaluated and the results suggest that car travel can be a stressful event for dogs and tends to remain stressful over multiple exposures. The results also indicate that CBD may have mild anxiolytic effects on dogs when travelling in a car. The effect decreased over the six months of daily treatment, however, it is not known whether this was due to the dogs acclimatising to the CBD or to the stressful event. Overall, the results suggest that while CBD may be beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety in dogs, it is likely best used in combination with other interventions in order to have long-term benefits.CBD for noise-induced fear in dogs
A study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science in 2020 investigated how CBD affects stress in dogs exposed to the sound of fireworks. The dogs were given 1.4 mg CBD per kg of bodyweight per day, 4–6 hours prior to noise exposure. Under these circumstances, the results do not support an anxiolytic effect of CBD in dogs. The researchers highlighted several possible reasons for this.
Firstly, they noted a higher CBD dose than what was given in the study may be necessary to reduce stress and anxiety in dogs.
Secondly, the time of CBD administration prior to noise exposure should be considered. Oral CBD has a half-life of less than 4 hours but in this experiment the CBD was administered 4–6 hours before the stress test, so the CBD might have been at least partially cleared from the body before the test was started. It may be necessary to administer CBD within 2 hours of the loud noise to have the greatest effect.
Lastly, the researchers thought that CBD may need to be dosed for longer than 7 days in order to produce anxiety-reducing effects. They conclude that further research is warranted to understand the mechanisms by which CBD may relieve anxiety in dogs.CBD for anxiety in cats
Research on CBD use in cats is more limited than for dogs, but some veterinarians and anecdotal reports suggest that CBD could help cats with anxiety. Domestic cats, as well as dogs, are known to form attachments with their caregivers. A recent 2024 study tested the effect of CBD versus a placebo on cats after a separation from their caregiver. For the CBD administration, CBD isolate at a dose of 4mg/kg, was administered every day in the morning over a two week period. After a brief separation from their caregiver, the cats became distressed. Signs of such distress were less evident after the CBD administration than the placebo. With CBD, the cats became more secure upon separation from their caregivers. These positive results appear to be similar to anxiolytic effects of CBD that have been reported in humans.
How to use CBD for pets with anxiety
If you’re considering CBD for your anxious pet, here are a few key things to keep in mind:
Consult with your veterinarian: Discuss your concerns about your pet’s anxiety with your veterinarian. Your vet will prescribe the most suitable CBD product at an appropriate dosage for your pet’s condition.
Choose a high-quality product: Not all CBD products are created equal. Kindred CBD products are specifically formulated for pets, tested by third-party labs, and clearly label CBD content.
Monitor for side effects: Although side effects from CBD are uncommon, some pets may experience drowsiness or mild gastrointestinal upset. If you notice anything unusual, discuss it with your vet.
Conclusion
CBD is gaining traction as a natural option to help dogs and cats with anxiety. While research in the pet space is still evolving, early studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that CBD could be effective in reducing anxiety-related behaviours in dogs and cats.
Consult with your vet to obtain a prescription for a suitable high-quality CBD product to ensure the best results for your furry friend. By carefully integrating CBD into your pet’s wellness plan, you might be able to help them live a calmer, happier life.
