How Much CBD Oil Should I Give My Dog?
One of the most frequent questions we hear from our customers is, “how much CBD oil should I give my dog?” Today, we’re here to put that question to rest once and for all with this guide to doggy dosage!
What Should I Do Before Starting My Dog on CBD Treatment
Although CBD typically has few to no side-effects, there are a few things to consider before beginning treatment.
- For what symptoms might my dog benefit from CBD treatment?
- What is my dog’s weight and general size?
- What are my dog’s flavor preferences?
- Would they have an easier time adjusting to CBD oils, capsules, or CBD dog treats?
Each of these factors can make a difference in how much cbd oil you should give your dog. We’ll provide a few tips on each of these below.
It’s always best to consult a veterinarian before starting your dog on CBD oil treatment. That’s especially true if your pet is already on other medications, as CBD is known to interfere with several common drugs. As a general rule, if a medication is safe to take with grapefruit, it’s safe to take with CBD. However, pet medications are less likely to list this detail, so it’s essential to double-check. For tips on talking to your veterinarian about CBD for dogs, check out our article on talking to doctors; although it’s tailored for traditional physicians, many of the same tips will still apply!
How Much CBD Oil Should I Give My Dog?
Although there are many factors to consider (see our notes later in this article), there are a few useful guidelines for setting a baseline doggy dosage for CBD treatment.
General CBD Dosage For Dogs Based on Size and Weight
The most important factor, without a doubt, is your dog’s size and weight. As with any substance, larger dogs will require a more considerable amount of CBD than smaller dogs in order to feel the same effects.
Most manufacturers offer a variety of CBD dosages for dogs in their products. For instance, King Kanine’s King Kalm oil tincture comes in three potencies: 75mg for small dogs, 150mg for medium dogs, and 300mg for large dogs.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The 75/150/300mg potency listed on King Kanine’s CBD oil for dogs (and the advertised potency for most other manufacturers) refers to the TOTAL CBD contained in the tincture bottle and NOT to an appropriate single CBD dosage for dogs. ALWAYS review the manufacturer’s dosage recommendations, and start your dog’s CBD dose at or below the recommended level!
Although different manufacturers recommend different dosages, we can observe the trends and extract some general guidelines.
With CBD Oil Tinctures for Dogs, a single dose is typically 1ml of CBD tincture. For the King Kalm oil we mentioned, that would mean a recommended dosage as follows:
- For small dogs: 2.5mg of CBD
- For medium dogs: 5mg of CBD
- For large dogs: 7.5mg of CBD
Note that these recommendations are for a single serving of CBD oil. CBD is most often taken two times throughout the day, so the total daily dosage would be double these amounts.
These guidelines generally hold true for other manufacturers as well. CBDistillery’s Pet CBD Oil, for instance, offers a more flexible range. Rather than having different potencies, CBDistillery’s pet oil recommends a different volume of oil based on your pet’s weight, but the potency calculations match up nicely with King Kanine’s recommendations. However, they recommend a CBD dosage for large dogs of up to 10mg.
Are the Dosage Guidelines Different for CBD Dog Treats?
CBD Dog Treats typically have a lower dose of CBD per treat, so you can customize dosage by giving multiple treats at once. If you look at manufacturer recommendations, however, they are typically roughly in line with the figures we provided above.
What Benefits Can I Expect from CBD for Dogs?
Just like human beings, our canine companions can get a wide variety of benefits from CBD products. Proper CBD dosage for dogs will depend, in part, on the type of benefit you’re hoping to deliver.
CBD for dogs can offer the following benefits:
- Reduce pain, especially neuropathic pain, arthritis, and joint pain
- Better control seizures
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduce nausea
- Reduce anxiety, especially separation anxiety and anxiety induced by loud noises such as fireworks
- Reduce excess energy in hyperactive pooches
- Increase appetite by stimulating metabolism
- Increase cardiac health
- Improve overall mood
Depending on the severity of your pet’s symptoms, you may need to modify the dosage recommendations provided earlier in this article. In general, severe and chronic pain or anxiety will demand a higher dose than mild symptoms such as nausea or appetite problems.
Only experimentation will definitively answer the question “how much CBD oil should I give my dog” for this or that condition. And as we mentioned before, it’s always best to consult your veterinarian before starting your pet on a CBD treatment plan.
Choosing the Right CBD Product for Your Dog: Oils, Treats, or Capsules?
Although the type of CBD pet products you choose can affect proper CBD dosage for dogs, choosing the right type of product is mainly about what your dog will enjoy taking.
Some pets are picky eaters and will not react well to certain flavors of CBD oil. Luckily, there is a wide variety of flavors that appeal to the discerning puppy’s palate. These include bacon, chicken, steak, peanut butter, salmon, and many more! Check out our whole stock of CBD oils for dogs here.
Even if you find a flavor you like, some dogs may not like taking CBD oil by mouth. In that case, try putting their dose in food! Adding it to their water bowl is another option, but this makes it hard to answer the question “how much CBD oil should I give my dog”; after all, most dogs won’t drink their entire water bowl at once, so it’s virtually impossible to give proper dosage by this method!
Another great option is CBD treats for dogs. What dog doesn’t love a tasty treat? Even for the pickiest eaters, CBD dog treats make it effortless to give your dog its daily dose. Most will even beg for more and look forward to their next dose!
For dogs with dietary restrictions, CBD capsules for pets may be your best option. If your dog is already accustomed to taking pills, just use the same method you would for any traditional medication. If they have trouble swallowing capsules, consider placing the capsules in their food or in a pill pocket; most pets won’t even notice that they’re taking a capsule!
Does the Type of CBD Product Affect Proper CBD Dosage for Dogs?
Yes and no.
Because of bioavailability, some CBD products absorb more efficiently than others. In general, CBD oil tinctures have the best absorption rate of standard CBD pet products.
But the difference is much less significant for pets than it is for humans. Oil tinctures have better bioavailability because they are meant to be held under the tongue, which is more absorbent than the stomach. Dogs, however, don’t typically have the discipline for sublingual dosing and will just swallow the oil right away. This makes tinctures’ bioavailability only slightly higher than that of capsules or CBD dog treats.
In general, the type of CBD product will not have a significant effect on how much CBD you should give your dog. As always, check the recommended dosage guidelines of whichever CBD pet product you choose, and follow them closely.
How Much CBD Oil Should I Give My Dog? Final Thoughts
We hope that this article has helped you answer the question, “how much CBD oil should I give my dog?”. While there are no hard and fast rules for dosing, there are solid guidelines that have emerged across the industry.
The proper dosage will vary based on your dog’s treatment needs, flavor preferences, metabolism, and (most importantly) size and weight.
As a rule of thumb, administering CBD twice per day is ideal, with a single dose size as follows:
- For small dogs: 2.5mg of CBD
- For medium dogs: 5mg of CBD
- For large dogs: 7.5mg of CBD
And, of course, don’t hesitate to branch out and try something new! We have a wealth of quality CBD pet products available at CBD Choice, and you’re sure to find something your dog will love.
If you’re feeling especially adventurous, why not try your hand at making some DIY CBD dog treats?
