CBD Oil for Dogs With Anxiety: Can It Help?

With everything starting to reopen, we might need to return to the office sooner than we think. In this case, what’s a dog-mum or dad to do – especially if your pup veers on the more anxious side? Well, you heard it here first: CBD oil could potentially help dogs with anxiety.

With CBD touted as a cure-all, we all know that this isn’t – or it can’t be – the case. After all, there have been some pretty tall CBD-related claims. However, in the case of dogs with anxiety, studies show that CBD oil could help with this.

At CBD Village, we understand the stresses of being a pet parent. Leaving your fur-baby for hours at a stretch can wreak havoc on their emotions – and yours. In this case, CBD oil could be worth a try.

What Is Canine Anxiety?

Before we delve into using CBD oil to treat anxiety in dogs, we’ll first establish what exactly canine anxiety is. We’ll also go over a few common symptoms; this can help establish whether or not your dog has anxiety. However, when in doubt, it’s always best to consult with a vet.

Canine anxiety, in a nutshell, is when your dog experiences feelings of anxiousness, over a prolonged period. It’s important to remember that dogs experience anxiety at different times – just like humans. Therefore, just because your dog sometimes gets anxious doesn’t mean that they’ve got full-blown anxiety.

Studies indicate that canine anxiety comes down to three different reasons:

• Fear: New situations, discomfort, and different environments can cause fear in your precious pooch. When your dog is out of its element, they can get scared. This could be from something as simple as you changing the living room layout, to switching from their at-home routine to one at doggie daycare.
• Past experiences: Many rescue dogs also suffer from anxiety due to their histories. From abandonment to neglect, these traumatic situations can play a role in a dog’s anxiety levels. Therefore, if you’ve adopted a rescue during the lockdown, they might be more anxious than others.
• Separation: No one has loved your WFH arrangement more than your dog. With cuddles upon request and fetch on tap, it truly is alright for some. However, when you have to head back to the office, this can lead to serious bouts of separation anxiety.

What Symptoms Can I Look Out For?

If put in these situations, your dog could exhibit certain behavioural changes over a prolonged period. If you think your dog has anxiety, there are some tell-tale symptoms.

Here, you should look out for barking, destructive behaviour, and regressing on any toilet training. Anxious dogs can also lose their appetites, or exhibit repetitive behaviours.

Be patient with your four-legged friend! They’re dealing with this new situation as best as they can. However, here’s where CBD oil could come in handy, to help dogs with their anxiety.

My Dog Has Anxiety; Can CBD Oil Help?

Research indicates that yes, CBD oil could help your anxiety-riddled pup. In fact, several animal studies reflect this. Mainly centering rats, these studies reflect how a healthy dose of CBD oil could potentially help with anxiety.

The first article, a medical review from June 2012, explored the idea of cannabidiol as an anxiolytic drug. Anxiolytic drugs are commonly used to treat anxiety, and can be prescribed in several different forms. The review concluded that several studies indicated that CBD has an anxiolytic effect on the animal subjects.

Additionally, a study from 2006 explored the relationship between CBD and the Vogel conflict test in rats. Generally, researchers use the Vogel test to measure anxiety in animals. Results concluded that CBD could reduce anxiety-related behaviours in rats.

Based on these studies, CBD oil could be a promising treatment for dogs with anxiety. However, if you’re unsure whether your dog should take CBD, or how much to give your dog, it’s always best to consult with a vet. By doing this, you can be sure that CBD is the best possible treatment for your anxiety-riddled pup.

Buyer Beware: CBD Oil Options for Anxious Dogs

If you’re a CBD enthusiast, you might be happy utilising a full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD tincture in your wellness routine. However, this might not work as well for your canine companion. While studies show that CBD is safe for dogs, THC certainly isn’t.

In fact, THC could harm your dog – even in trace amounts. Therefore, when it comes to your dog, it’s best to steer clear from THC-infused options. This means that full-spectrum CBD is completely off the table.

But what about broad-spectrum CBD? There hasn’t been much research on other cannabinoids regarding anxiety in dogs. Due to this, we’d recommend that you err on the side of caution, and step away from the broad-spectrum CBD – especially when it comes to treating anxious dogs.

Instead, try some CBD isolate. This is CBD in its purest form – no other cannabinoids or terpenes. Generally, CBD isolate is completely free from THC, making it a totally safe option for your anxious canine companion.

However, you should go the extra mile and do your research. Always purchase CBD from a reputable retailer. You should also browse the CBD isolate’s Certificate of Analysis (or COA) before making a purchase. By doing this, you can ensure that your dog’s CBD oil is completely free from THC.

We’d also recommend that you start out with a fairly low dose of CBD. You might have heard the adage that there’s no, “one size fits all” approach to CBD dosage. It’s the same for animals – your dog’s breed, size, and age can all affect how much CBD they should take.

My Dog Is a Picky Eater – Will They Like CBD Oil?

There’s no real way to guarantee that your dog will like CBD oil in its purest form. After all, it’s hard to swallow for even some of us! Thankfully, there are many ways to add CBD to your dog’s diet – without making a dog’s dinner out of the whole thing.

Most CBD oils come with a dropper. You can always go the old-school method: administering CBD oil directly into your dog’s mouth. While CBD oil on its own is the easiest method, it could worsen anxiety in dogs – especially if they’re already a picky eater.

Thankfully, all isn’t lost – we still have a few tricks up our sleeve! Adding a few drops of CBD oil to your dog’s meals should have the same effect. After all, they’re still consuming CBD; you’re just masking the taste.

You could also make some CBD-infused dog treats. While this might be a little time-consuming, you can control how much CBD oil the treats contain, and how often to give one to your good boy (or girl!). Plus, this is a great way to ensure that your dog actually looks forward to their CBD dose, and isn’t cowering away in fear and disgust.

No matter how you choose to administer the CBD oil, remember to start slow, with small doses. By slowly working your way up, you won’t be introducing too much of a good thing to your dog’s diet, far too soon. You’ll also be able to monitor their reaction, ensuring that everything goes smoothly!