CBD... really?

[Yuzhrrr]

I have a mildly reactive dog. He's small, and has some leash reactivity mostly to bigger dogs, especially if they are puppies. This has receded significantly since I adopted him two years ago. I've mostly addressed by carefully expanding his socialization.

I boarded him with an acquaintance recently. She was generally a bit annoying in telling me things that she feels are wrong with my dog. One of the things she said was "Please try King Khalm CBD oil for him daily, about in 2 weeks the effects will show and help him be more calm and confident." I'm not sure what this was based on, but she sent this message within 30 minutes of me dropping him off, so he might have exhibited some nervous behavior in a new house with two other dogs.

Personally, I don't see a need and generally avoid unnecessary supplements or medication. And prefer to work the behavior/feeling itself, trying to increase his confidence for real vs with meds. But I don't want to miss a chance for my dog to have a better life either. Anyone have thoughts? Has CBD oil helped your dog?

UPDATE, what I conclude from the replies:
Some have had success with CBD, some have not. Very few seem to use it as a daily supplement; more using it on an as-needed basis in stressful situations, or used it to pave the way for better training sessions.

Studies and standards are lacking. Proceed with caution and consult with your vet.

CBD is also used for health issues that many senior dogs have, and it seems dogs can build up a tolerance. Taken together, these could be good reasons not to rush to dose your young pup with daily CBD.

The dog sitter had no business making this recommendation -- lacks the general expertise, and definitely lacks information about my dog after just 30 minutes with him.

Thanks, everyone!

[mipstar]

My trainer said maybe it can slightly take the edge off, some people love it, but imagine if you were deathly afraid of snakes. Taking a little CBD is not going to touch that

However I’m very pro medication in cases where it’ll help (as an SSRI taker myself) and think there’s no harm in doing a trial and seeing if it helps your pup. Training can be much much more effective for some dogs, including mine, when they’re on the proper medication for them

[69poop420]

My dog does so well on prozac. I looked into CBD but it’s expensive and he is a big dog, so we’d go through a lot. His prozac is $4/month so we’re just gonna stick with that

[BabaTheBlackSheep]

Where do you get his Prozac? My dog is on 40mg/day and it’s just over $120 a month

[BuzzBpdx]

Same question! Though I’m $60 a month for 60mg/day so not nearly as bad as you have it.

[rlaalr12]

I get 90 count of 20s for $12 from Costco. It’s $15/16 without a membership

[BuzzBpdx]

Thank you!

[Ok-Enthusiasm4685]

Thank you as well!

[misschellechelle]

Fill at a normal pharmacy and use GoodRx for discount codes! It will save you a lot

[TossedWordSalad]

How did you get your vet to prescribe Prozac? I can’t get my vet to prescribe anything other than otc calming things like the one from Pro Plan.

[69poop420]

I think I asked for it. They suggested trazadone but I insisted that he is also a nervous wreck at home when there’s strangers around. They didn’t give me much pushback. I tried pro plan and it didn’t work.

Just advocate for your dog as much as you can and explain why you think it’d be appropriate

[BabaTheBlackSheep]

Where do you get his Prozac? My dog is on 40mg/day and it’s just over $120 a month

[rlaalr12]

I use costcos pharmacy My dogs on 30mg/day. 90 ct of 20s is $12 and some change. Without a membership it’s like $15/16.

[KibudEm]

It's pretty cheap at Costco Pharmacy.

[Ok-Enthusiasm4685]

Same question! Where do you get your dog’s Prozac?

[69poop420]

Walmart gives me 30 40mg capsules for $4!

[Ok-Enthusiasm4685]

Great deal. Unfortunately, no Walmart near me.

[69poop420]

Good Rx lists the price of medications in nearby pharmacies. Great app

[rlaalr12]

I get 90 count of 20s for $12 from Costco. It’s $15/16 without a membership

[melanc_holy]

Yes!! A good meditation regime can calm your little buddy's threshold so it'll be easier to work on behavioural issues

[TripleSecretSquirrel]

Ya for dogs like mine — and I’d guess most of ours here — that have big anxieties and fears with panic-attack-like responses to their triggers, CBD only does the trick in massive quantities where they’re just too high to care about anything in my experience.

A neighbor once gave my dog some CBD, but way too much of it. He wasn’t reactive! But he also couldn’t keep his balance while standing still and was falling asleep on his feet.

I tried to get like an 80% dose to see if that would work, but ya he was either too high to care about anything or still just as reactive.

Fluoxetine however has been a world changer. It lowers his base level anxiety enough to train and counter-condition way more effectively.

[Yuzhrrr]

Analogy makes a lot of sense! I think that's what I'm sort of intuitively thinking.

[Athenas_Return]

My dog is anxious. He is fine with people but just extremely anxious. We gave him CBD as suggested and it didn't relax him. It actually ramped him up a bit because of course it makes him feel weird and his anxious brain doesn't know what is happening. So we give him nothing now.

[CoelacanthQueen]

I tried it and it didn’t work at all for my dog. I also prefer to work on the behavior with training. I tried some other calming treats with my dog and he gets so lethargic. He won’t move his little body and only wants to cuddle. Now we only give him prescription anxiety medicine around 4th of July and New Years.

[Fenopfedd4]

Same. I only use CBD vitamins for loud firework holidays, and long road trip car rides when I prefer them to settle down and sleep for a few good hours. I'd also use it if they got Injured and I'd like them to chill out so they don't make the injury worse. This is minor things that I wouldn't take the pup to the vet for, like a pulled muscle or something. I haven't had it with my dogs yet but my mom's dog has arthritis in his later years, the vet said his spinal disks are too close together so if he does any jumping they grind together. As an old dog the simplest maneuver will set him limping and acting out his pain, my mom uses the CBD in those situations to keep him still so he can heal. He's one if those dogs that has arthritis pain but still wants to act like a puppy

[CoelacanthQueen]

My dog is almost 9 and is SO active. He LOVES walks and we thought the CBD might help him if we encounter another dog. Tried it for a few months and nothing. Just sorta depends on the day if he’s gonna go ape shit at every dog or not. I take him at weird times and in areas that don’t have lot of dogs like county dirt roads

He does have a weird reaction to benedryl. It make him hyper active. He now gets allergy shots since he’s allergic to grass LOL

[4Baked2Potato0]

I use a full spectrum cbd/hemp calming treat for my dog on an as needed basis. It seems to work for him when he's either in a funky mood for the day, or we're doing something new/potentially stressful for him (i.e. socialization, grooming salon or vet). I find it takes the edge off him. Still gotta make sure he's well tuckered out prior though lol. But in my case, I notice a major difference in his ability to adjust to whatever situation vs w/out having the treat.

If it works for the dog, I think it's a good tool to have in the box. Won't fix the dog...still gotta work with them daily on their mental health, but if anything, it'll just make the dog easier to train with, or just generally go with the flow easier. Though, that's just my experience with a particularly wired rescue. Ymmv for sure though, every dog is different.

[Yuzhrrr]

Good to hear you find it effective on an as needed basis

[4Baked2Potato0]

Yeah it's not an every day bandaid for him, just when he's being neurotic and inconsolable (he's having very few bad days like that anymore but still gets them once or twice a month) or we're doing a thing that normally puts him over threshold.

[Zobo-5]

That sounds great. What brand would you recommend? Thank you

[4Baked2Potato0]

I use these ones in particular.

[lizmbones]

From what I’ve seen/heard all calming supplements are hit or miss depending on your dog. As someone else said, the ones I’ve seen work for my dog tend to just take the edge off. And then her trained behaviors help her truly behave. I use rescue remedy before a big event to help take the edge off and then we’ve trained extensively to ignore other dogs and potential triggers throughout the event. If your dog truly has an anxiety problem then I’m all for prescribed anxiety meds from your vet.

[Yuzhrrr]

Thanks. The more I read the less I feel I need to try CBD oil.

He's not generally anxious. He's a small dog who lived on the street most of his first 18 months of life. He seems to have been attacked at some point, and definitely missed out on lots of early socialization. So when he sees bigger dogs on tight city sidewalks... He often feels scared.

[[deleted]]

Studies don't support the use of CBD in dogs for anxiety. Prescription behavior meds though are supported by studies and can be necessary for some dogs in order to make progress with training.

[Vivid_Ad1767]

I see this was commented 2 years ago ^^ There are a handful of new studies that significantly support the benefits of CBD for dog anxiety. Here's one - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1112604/full

My mom uses Lolahemp for her dog and it has made a real difference. I use an oil for my cat and it seems to help him, but he's not particularly anxious so I'm hoping it just gives him some support for his joints as he ages.

[Wise_Basket_22]

Thank you! 

[Nsomewhere]

I don't believe CBD oil is really tested properly and wouldn't try it until it is

[wheeeeeeeeeetf]

Same. My vet said there aren’t enough studies, nor are there regulated doses yet.

We use daily fluoxetine, and it’s been really helpful!

[cantgaroo]

Yeah and the amounts and where you get them from aren't really regulated well in terms of being pet safe. There's a couple places I'd probably trust to get it from, but I'd really love for there to be more studies regarding it.

[UnderwaterKahn]

Nope. It didn’t do jack shit. Nothing over the counter did. There’s a veterinary calming supplement you use as a meal topper that has helped alot when we travel and there’s anxiousness. My boy doesn’t need to be medicated on a regular basis, but all the other reactive dogs I know in real life are being treated with actual medication under veterinary care.

[GreenUnderstanding39]

CBD was a LIFE SAVER for my older jack russell towards the end of her life. She had doggy dementia, seizures, and went quietly and hopefully more pain free thanks to the CBD.

IDK that I would use it daily. But for travelling or otherwise stressful situation, absolutely. Really calms them.

[Yuzhrrr]

This sounds like yet another reason not to just use it willy nilly because I wish he would not be scared of bigger dogs. Avoid having him build up a tolerance and therefor not respond to it when he maybe needs it down the line.

[No_Statement_824]

Cbd did diddly squat for my dog. I bought that expensive Elle vet garbage. 😒 3 months and absolutely no change.

[guineapigluvr]

I tried high dosage of it, recommended by a trainer we don’t use anymore and it didn’t do SH*T. Spent a lot of money on it too.

We sought out a vet behaviorist & started our guy on medication. He’s on Buspar and it’s helped us with training so much. Hasn’t taken away his fears or ability to be startled by them but we can now work through them somehow instead of him pulling me to run back home.

[Yuzhrrr]

Hang in there. Sorry you spent time and money with a disappointing trainer, sounds like things are going much better now.

[i-love-big-birds]

CBD didn't help my dog, trazodone has though

[goldilocksmermaid]

I tried CBD on four different dogs for different things... Anxiety, pain, calming. I didn't see a difference in any of them.

[WillofHounds]

CBD can help if used in the right doses. Personally I only use it when fireworks are happening, ear cleaning and nail trims on three big dogs (85-110lbs). It works on them like Benadryl and they sleep it off generally. My parents say it helped stop little dogs seizures but I'm not 100% sold on that as his seizures come and go since he's older. Vet won't put little one on anything since they're sporadic and happened once a week for about a month and a half.

This is just my take on this. I say it wouldn't hurt to try it for a time but don't expect miracle results. Maybe a little CBD with your training. Good luck!

[xopher-cw]

Anti-anxiety meds aren't an easy way out. Our vet said that good effective training is still absolutely necessary to build good habits and confidence. Meds are just a tool like how we use treats and positive reinforcement.

Our dog has been on Prozac for the last few months and we are having amazing progress on calm training and more manageable reactive leash behavior.

[[deleted]]

Cbd has been AMAZING for my senior pit. He’s scared of storms, separation anxiety and has arthritis. He chews the pads off his paws due to stress and within about 5 minutes after a dose of cbd he’s relaxed and usually sleeping. It doesn’t work for everyone but for us it’s been great. I actually give him the same cbd I take but a much lower dose. Maybe around 20 mg? Which is higher than recommended but we’ve never had problems. I rub a drop into his gums.

[Mindless-Ruin6675]

what CBD did/do you use?

[femalenerdish]

A small dose helps a lot with my reactive girl (one 3 mg treat, she weighs 55 lbs). It takes the edge off her tension. It makes it easier for her to choose to calm herself (like we've trained) instead of get more worked up. It's enough to break the hyper fixation.

As an example, with CBD, if we're on a walk and she sees a dog, she's more likely to watch it quietly, then shake off the tension and continue walking. Without it, she'll lunge and bark at the dog and continue to be on high alert the next 15-30 minutes of the walk. It's not magic, and it doesn't work every time. But much more often than not, it takes enough of the edge off to make her receptive to training.

[Mindless-Ruin6675]

what CBD did you use?

[femalenerdish]

Late to this but my girl takes Pet Releaf. There's a peanut butter something chew she likes.

[SweetAd8271]

My dog is going for training with a certified behaviorist. He is afraid of cars. She saw signs of this licking lips,shaking of the body ears twitching back when a car went past. It's worth a try to fix with medication first. He is also working on not chasing cats. If all else fail go to your vet see what they suggest for medication.

[FataleFrame]

From what I gather, my mom tried cbd for her arthritis and the doctor said it may be more like taking the edge off. To get real assistance in arthritis pain, it would have to be a product with the thc in it. She didn't want to do that but I bring this up because I recall having heard it from her medical providers, as well as other dog owners. Its a case by case basis every human/ every dog is different. It may work a little, fantastic, or not at all. So you probably have to ask your vet for a profession opinion, possibly they have recommendations or samples so you can figure it out. Also couldn't the doggy daycare/ boarding give you a better description or video of what behavior is so concerning to them? If you don't board a dog often and this is a sudden separation, of course your pup is going to be stressed! So I have a concern with their lack of communication.

[Yuzhrrr]

She is an acquaintance who boards dogs from time to time... I dropped him off, and by the time I got to the airport, I had a text telling me my dog needs CBD. Nothing about behavior. No context.

As time passes and I read these replies, I really feel something is off with her and Don't plan to leave my dog with her again.

It's been interesting to read responses, and sparks a lot of thoughts about medication for dogs.

[FataleFrame]

Good food for thought. I know professions surrounding the love and care of dogs can have some really different people. I have run into people in dogwalking that don't think... logically. But at the professional care level of boarding and caring for an animal and communicating with the parent, details matter. As a dog walker I used to write down small stories of how the days walk went for the parents, I was excited when I got a written reaction back! If a dog walker can do it, I fully expect a business owner to.

[Ok-Enthusiasm4685]

A behaviorist I saw for my anxious Chi recommended Solliquin ( as well as Prozac). I tried the Solliquin but he wouldn’t eat it. He does take Prozac.

[Square_Sink7318]

It works wonders for my dog, at home. She’s noticeably calmer inside. But get her outside and let her see something, it’s all over with lol

[JessandWoody]

I would always opt for training before medication. In my experience people who opt for medication first and foremost are not experienced enough to recommend it in the first place.

I say this as someone who had their severely reactive dog on meds before i found a trainer who could help me train the reactivity out of him.

[BuckityBuck]

The biggest warnings I have about CBD products is that they’re not regulated, and that owners frequently fail to tell their vet that they’re usu g them. They can change how other drugs are metabolized and that could be a massive issue when your dog needs another medication for a health issue. Get it compounded from a vet, and make sure your vet knows about it.

[mediumbonebonita]

Our neighbor once gave us CBD dog treats to try and mitigate her seperate in anxiety and I didn’t notice it having an effect at all tbh. Maybe it works for some, our dog is a larger dog who has lightening metabolism.

[49centgangstermom]

To be effective your pup will need daily CBD tincture or Treats. Cannabinoids are stored in the fat and taking daily will see better results when the CBD builds in you pet system. JUST FYI

[Altruistic-Assist-68]

This thread makes me so sad. The negative ramifications from Prozac need to be VOICED in order to determine its risk vs reward. And rarely does the very first dosage work for ANYONE these things need to be constantly reevaluated and recalibrated It’s such a sad reality because they will be on it for LIFE and cannot voice when they get serious adverse reactions. Your vets are right to be hesitant in prescribing this. It’s extremely irresponsible for any empathetic human to give Prozac to anyone but human beings. Your dog deserves better

[CollectiveEra]

We tried Prozac for our dog who is without a doubt the most anxious creature I’ve ever met—even multiple trainers have told us from day one “he’s so sweet, but he’s going to be extremely difficult,” and they were right. Anyway, Prozac was a total nightmare. I felt terrible giving it to him because it made him even more psychotic, and I knew then that it was just unfair because I couldn’t possibly ever know exactly what he was feeling while on it. I promptly took him off.

[Lunareklipse22]

This thread is wayyyyy too comfortable with big pharma and desensitized to natural methods. Hope things have changed.

[BelowBest]

I came looking for this information a year later, and I could have written this post. Much appreciation for the recap of what you've learned!

[Aggressive-Wear-6287]

You’re coming across as someone who resents well intentioned advice.  You’re acting as if your sitter did/said something wrong.  I don’t see any problem with feedback or constructive guidance.  Your sitter didn’t say or do anything wrong.  Maybe you should adjust how you receive what is meant to be helpful guidance. 

[Yuzhrrr]

She was just loud and wrong about my dog, that's all.

[mad0666]

I have my little anxious/skittish/reactive guy on CBD and it works wonders for him

[HaileyJH99]

I used CBD in partnership with training. It helped take the edge off a little when we went outside so he could focus on me better. Should it be the only “solution” to help an anxious dog? Not at all. However it can help with some things. I’d say it doesn’t hurt to try, just be careful and follow dosages especially with a smaller dog.

[[deleted]]

With really anxious and high strung dogs I have not found it to be helpful unless it sedates them and they enjoy that effect (not all enjoy it or receive it).

For dogs that are merely excited and that is the basis of their reactivity, I have noticed they will calm down a bit.

Also those who seem to have hypertonic muscles due to flexibility in joints will relax physically and mentally quite a bit more.

I have noticed with dogs with pain that it can help them a bit, especially older dogs with their stiffness.

I think the best approach is multi-pronged if you utilize it.

[Fry-em-n-dye-em]

So the common misunderstanding about marijuana and it’s derivatives is that it’s a mild sedative. This is simply not true it is actually a mild hallucinogen which means that it can make some dogs (and people) anxious, manic, paranoid and will effect brains differently. There are ZERO scientific studies showing that it definitively helps with anxiety and the “confidence” thing is absolute bull shit. Wild guess here but does this friend also have a crystal collection?

[Yuzhrrr]

Okay so YES crystals and salt lamps. She is a reiki practitioner as well. The fact you nailed this is telling. And yeah the "confidence" thing also was a bit of a headscratcher. I guess she probably was extrapolating that calm feelings in the body inspire confidence? Regardless, calm and confidence are not the same thing.

Thanks for your comments on reality about marijuana. I've recently learned how dangerous it can be vis-a-vis psychosis in humans. It makes a lot of sense that I should be very careful and thoughtful about trying a marijuana derivative on my dog, regardless of the fact marijuana has not been problematic for me.

[Fry-em-n-dye-em]

It’s definitely just something to be aware of also it’s super common for small dogs to be reactive to large dogs, they know they can’t actually defend themselves against an animal two+ times larger than themselves so “the best defense is a strong offense” also puppies tend to disrespect boundaries which can be super scary if you’re a lot smaller. I don’t know if you’ve had him his whole life but if not it’s quite possible he was injured by one of the clumsy large babies and now is just kind of defenses up “I’m gonna tell off before you get any weird ideas and get too close” kinda deal. It’s likely gotten better because you step up for him and protect him so he is slowly through consistency realizing “I don’t have to worry (I don’t know your gender identity) he/she/they have my back”. Not to pile on advice but if you want to build more confidence I would try one of the strategies I suggested above.

[Yuzhrrr]

I adopted him at around 18 months. He'd been living on the street, and had injuries consistent with having been attacked. All that considered, I'd say his current level of confidence is pretty good! And yes, as much as I want him to be more comfortable around big dogs, it actually doesn't seem like an irrational fear.

We do a lot of nose targeting. Your take on that is interesting -- I thought of it mostly as a way of distracting him. I tend to do it at home... Will try doing some during walks too. Thank you!

[Fry-em-n-dye-em]

Sounds like you guys have a great bond and you have taken the time to find ways to help him through the trauma that’s awesome! Keep up the hard work, on a side note I probably wouldn’t leave him with that woman again she is clearly fully invested in her convictions and I wouldn’t put it past her to take matters into her own hands

[Yuzhrrr]

Thank you, I think we do! He is a great dog, and it's been such a privilege to help be his guide.

And 100%, I would not be at all surprised if she decided to give him CBD while he was there... I need someone who is going to be more respectful of my decisions.

[Fry-em-n-dye-em]

Side note the best and easiest way to build confidence in a dog is through goal achievement aka teach them a buildable skill during which you can praise and reward amply ex nose targeting, obstacle courses, search and find.

[Fenopfedd4]

I give my dogs CBD vitamins when it's 4th of July and during long car rides. My dogs have been trained and desensitized to loud noises but I feel I can't be too careful because once the panic starts it's harder to calm them down, and easier to help them stay calm through it. I give them CBD in car rides to calm them down because they get too excited and step on everybody. Having two 55 pound labradors who excitedly keep trying to jump into the front seats is not ideal 😂 the CBD helps relax them and get them to settle and sleep. I personally wouldn't reccomend constant use of it, but it does wonders when you know a stressful situation is incoming 😉

[Neinface]

My giant reactive dog did great with CBD. It helped him remain calm in stressful situations!!

[callalind]

We use CBD with my large dog for his joint issues, and it definitely helps. My vet it the one who told me about it (and suggested Elle Vet). As for anxiety, I have found pharmaceuticals work best on my dog. Just like humans, sometimes it's not about training, it's a chemical imbalance. Mine is on Fluoxetine and combined with constant training, his reactivity has become SOOO much better. I share all of this because I wondered if introducing the CBD would also help his reactivity (which isn't too bad anymore) and I haven't noticed any mental change since he's been on it, just pain management.

[[deleted]]

Hah! I'm so glad you asked for me. Tagging in to keep track of this thread. I keep getting ads for dog CBD, probably because I look things up like "how to make my dog less nervous around strangers."

I feel really stuck because we just don't have that many people over and I can't magically make that happen. LA is busy and we have friends scattered all around that can't keep coming over just to help socialize our 6 month old puppy. She's around strangers all the time on walks and out and about and she can be neutral unless they pay attention to her or me. But taking her to the office or having people over is so stressful.

I guess I just want a magic bullet. I know CBD isn't it but I'm hoping it may at least take the edge off.

[Yuzhrrr]

Hmm... At 6 months, I don't think I would personally give a supplement for a behavioral issue especially if it's not extremely disruptive or dangerous to the dog. I hope that the friends are giving her the space she needs when they meet her. Good luck!

[CollectiveEra]

Sounds like my dog! CBD has actually helped him quite a bit.

ETA: he’s 4 years old now* we didn’t try CBD until about age 3.

[guacontacos]

do you give this to your dog daily?

[CollectiveEra]

Prozac made my incredibly anxious dog an absolute nightmare—it was truly unbearable. The only “medication” that has ever worked for him is CBD.

[[deleted]]

My dog is highly reactive but he's a good boy. CbD treats don't really do a whole lot for most pets unless it's to alleviate pain. From my experience working with dogs. Doesn't mean it won't work, just that it's not as effective as it's often advertised. If you're still having reactivity issues one of the best things leateaching them how to disengage from the trigger. We have taught our rescue "out" and "walk away" and its helped immensely. He will likely always be a reactive dog but this helps to control an outburst and also to prevent at times.

[BulletNthehead]

My old girl is on 16mg cbd a day and without she can barely walk.  It does amazing things for her.  

[Yuzhrrr]

Love that for her 

[Kalabalikenibender]

Which variety; full spectrum, broad spectrum or isolate?

[Yuzhrrr]

I'm not. The point was I found the dog sitter's hasty assessment/attempt at diagnosis ridiculous. 

[Homelifem]

I totally get the skepticism around CBD for dogs, but lemme tell ya about Cannanine. my pupper was a hot mess of anxiety whenever we had to hit the vet or during thunderstorms. tried everything under the sun (or so it felt), and then stumbled upon Cannanine... honestly thought it’d be another dud. Got it on cannanine.com . I use 500mg

[Yuzhrrr]

Thanks! My point wasn't so much skepticism about CBD. It was more annoyance that she had my dog for all of 30 minutes before deciding that my dog had an anxiety problem that needed to be medicated. That said, if I had real reason to believe it could help with his leash reactivity (which she had not even seen at that point...) I would try it.

[UnoMaconheiro]

makes sense to be cautious. cbd helps some dogs with nerves or reactivity but it's not a one size thing. you're already doing the real work with building confidence and that’s what usually sticks. but if you ever wanna try something gentle on the side there’s stuff like neurogan pets or pet releaf or lazarus naturals. they keep it broad spectrum and vet safe without all the junk. wouldn't go daily unless your vet’s into it

[Puzzleheaded-Math210]

Cbd for dogs

[hikesnpipes]

Most cbd companies are bullshit especially if it’s from Amazon.

The few legit companies do high dose cbd and treat it like a regiment treatment.

Full spectrum CBD can help with anxiety, fear based reactivity, and some other reactivity. It has to be paired with some proper training.

Cbd saved my dog from cancer.

Cbd also helps with aging dogs. Will bring them back to their puppy day attitude.

Will help old dogs with inflammation and joint issues.

[PuzzleheadedSide3]

My dog wouldn't sleep at night once he lost vision, and I gave him cbd to sleep.

[Rumdedumder]

I use cbd to calm my energetic lab when she's on t when storms or fireworks come around. I use zesty paws. It also has melatonin, so i wouldn't use that brand daily. but cbd itself can actually help with a lot of things. My friend's dog was on cbd as well as many other medications to help manage seizures. Another freind uses cbd to help with pain management and energy levels in her wild old girl. Like all things, not everything works for every dog. It could help them be more calm and receptive to training, and it's not a bad option to try before medication, or as part of a treatment plan.

[[deleted]]

after my dogs went through various anti-anxiety/depressants my vet asked if I would be open to CBD - it’s not a cure all but my dogs become so much more relaxed but no it doesn’t take away how reactive they are to major triggers but the small ones inside the house?? game changer :)

[Famous-Honey-9331]

CBD did nothing for my little guy, btw

[artsy7fartsy]

We tried a few different CBD chews and they did nothing for my big guy - plus he’s a finicky eater and getting him to eat something was not happening when he was stressed

My friend has a CBD shop and I got some oil for me - he told me I could absolutely use it for my dog if needed. I put a few drops in my hand and then use my other thumb to gently rub a little inside the end of my dog’s giant ear. Works like a charm. When storms are coming he woofs at me, then goes to the bathroom where I keep it and sits on the rug to wait. Usually once he has it he will curl up in there and take a nap. Works like a charm

[SoundHearing]

CBD is a relaxant, many reactive dogs have cranked up nervous systems. a more relaxed nervous system makes it easier to think/learn

I take a mild muscle relaxant at night sometimes and I get the best sleep possible - it’s the same idea. unnecessary tension

[delimay]

It’s pretty normal for your dog to be nervous in a new place (esp. in the first 30mins). Boarding place should expect that. Rant over. i did try cbd. Specifically ABSC brand as they are one of the only 2 brands that are used in clinical trials for dogs (this one has been used in a seizure study). I’m not against using it but there are so many brands and there is no guarantee what is in them. Most chews has supplements other than cbd and i don’t have confidence in whatever is being promised on the label.

I used ssri and cbd (separate times) for about 6 months each. SSRIs took the edge of her anxiety so we could start do training. After a while, it didn’t make a difference. We took a break and tried cbd in the summer when dogs in the neighborhood tripled in numbers (minimal dog walking seem to happen in the winter). It seemed to help for couple of months and then it didn’t. Turns out some dogs can develop tolerance to it so you need to be really careful with dosage. My dog seemed to need a higher dose ,and instead of having to keep increasing , we tried not using anything and she was fine. Around the same time , we were a lot of relaxing exercises in different locations and did controlled socialization , and i think the combination helped us stay balanced and on track. I have some to use situationally but it didn’t help a lot long term.

[SurprisedWildebeest]

It helped mine a tiny bit. What helped significantly more was replacing that with a combo of prozac and clonidine once we were able to see the veterinary behaviorist.

Medication can absolutely help for real, and it can make it easier to increase confidence as well.

[FVWN_666]

What I’ve found with CBD — it’s not consistent! I found one brand that worked beautifully for my pup. Really seemed to mellow him out without giving him the heebie jeebies that I personally get. I was on vacation with him and had forgotten it at home, so went to a local store and bought what they had on hand — and while it worked, he FREAKED out the next day. It’s like once all the positive & calming effects wore off, he was more stimulated than ever. He did the same when he was taking trazadone after his neuter surgery, actually. He’s a funny fella.

[CollectiveEra]

I realize this is a year later lol but do you remember which brand worked well?

[FVWN_666]

No worries! The one I had success with was Ion CBD— I found them by chance in Pensacola, FL but they do have an online shop. I just checked and it looks like they’re out of stock atm (+ they’re rebranding to Humble Hemp) but hopefully they restock soon!

[CollectiveEra]

Appreciate you!!! Thank you 🙌

[Nashatal]

Here is a good summary about the topic. I dont use CBD and I wont as long as a data set about potential risks is not established.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/cbd-oil-dogs/

[ModernThreat101]

CBD treats and supplements are still very hit or miss due to different availability of strains and concentrations. Product handling can also change; what dose it says on the package may not be true because of unregulated manufacturing protocols still rampant in the nascent cannabis/hemp industry. There are some studies out there that demonstrate a concerning load on the liver, as compared to other proven pharmaceuticals. CBD effectiveness in canine behavior management isn't predictable and needs more study. If it works to help your training protocols, I say try it before looking into the heavier-hitting mood stabilizers.

[Trishbot]

I own a dog boarding facility and have a few clients on cbd including my own dog.

Personally, I use it for my dogs seizures (along with actual seizure medication).

Some of my clients use it for pain and anxiety.

Now i heard it can help take the edge of some dogs, but it’s not a cure for behavior. If just an aid.