You have made the wise decision to treat your pet using CBD. But now how much do you give him? It can be tricky because pets of different sizes and metabolism will need different amounts. One thing to keep in mind is that there are no side effects associated with administering CBD to pets. If your dogs ingests a very high dosage of cannabidiol, the biggest risk is that they will be really sleepy or lethargic for awhile. Some have also reported bouts of diarrhea, but that is quite uncommon.
All mammals have an endocannabinoid system, just like you and I. So your dog or cat will reap the same blissful benefits that we do. It can help anxious dogs to feel more chill, add it can help reduce inflammation in pets with issues like arthritis. CBD for your pets will also help with pain and discomfort from an injury and has helped many dogs and cats be more comfortable when they are dealing with a terminal illness.
Pet CBD Dosage
Just like humans, you should start off with a very small amount of CBD and work up to an adequate dosage over a couple of weeks. The dosage for pets is based on weight. We recommend starting out with the lowest dose in their weight category twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. It is best to give CBD on an empty stomach, but it is also fine to give it with a treat. Since dogs and cats won’t really hold the tinctures under their tongue (unless you have them very well trained), it will most likely end up going through their digestive system. This is still fine and they will feel the effects of the CBD, it will just take a little bit longer to work. Typically it takes 30 to 60 minutes when it is swallowed.
We recommend starting with a very small amount because the required amount is different for every pet. If you start with a larger dose and it works great, you may never know that a lower dose would have given you the same benefits. It would be a waste of CBD to give your dog or cat 10 drops when 3 would have done the trick.
For pets under 25 pounds
Smaller dogs and cats will take the lowest dosage of course, but we also have to consider that the metabolism of a smaller pet can be higher. It may be better to give pets under 15 pounds 1 drop, three times a day and increase the dosage until the desired effect is noticed. For dogs over 15 pounds, start with 2 drops twice a day.
For pets between 25 and 75 pounds
Medium sized dogs between 25 and 50 pounds can start with 3 drops twice a day on an empty stomach or with a small treat. Dogs and cats between 50 and 75 pounds can start with 4 drops twice a day and build the dosage over a couple of weeks until the desired effect is achieved.
For pets over 75 pounds
Large dogs should start with 5 drops twice a day and increase by 1 drop each time the CBD is given, so 6 drops twice a day, then 7 drops twice a day until you notice that the desired effect is achieved. For extra large pets over 100 pounds, start with 6 drops twice a day.
All of the dosage information listed above is based on Road Runner CBD Pet Tincture 300 mg 30 ml. The dosage guidelines are on the label. These are our recommendations based on our experience with our dogs and what we have heard back from our clients. If you have any questions about how much CBD to give your pet, please discuss it with your veterinarian.