Research Library
Veterinary cannabinoids
Canine osteoarthritis, pharmacokinetics, and safe dosing thresholds in animals.
Overview
Veterinary research is small but unusually well controlled, with several placebo-controlled canine trials.
Dogs metabolize cannabinoids differently than humans and are highly sensitive to THC.
What the evidence supports
- CBD around 2 mg/kg twice daily improved comfort and activity in dogs with osteoarthritis.
- Elevated liver enzymes appear frequently and warrant monitoring.
- THC toxicity in dogs is a genuine emergency risk — pet products should be THC-free.
Where the evidence is thin
- Feline data is much thinner than canine data.
- Long-term safety beyond 12 weeks is largely unstudied.
Selected studies
Randomized trial · 2018
Pharmacokinetics, safety, and clinical efficacy of CBD treatment in osteoarthritic dogs
Gamble LJ, et al. · Frontiers in Veterinary Science
2 mg/kg twice daily increased comfort and activity; ALP elevations were observed.
Find this study on PubMed (opens in a new tab)Preclinical · 2019
Single-dose pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol in dogs and cats
Deabold KA, et al. · Animals
Cats absorb and clear CBD differently, suggesting species-specific dosing.
Find this study on PubMed (opens in a new tab)