A new study from Mars Petcare looked at how effective CBD is for treating stress and pain in dogs.
The study, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, was conducted by the Waltham Petcare Science Institute. Incredibly, the study showed that a single oral dose of CBD showed notable stress relief in dogs. Specifically, the “randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study” showed significant changes in several stress parameters for dogs who had just traveled or were left alone.
CBD Can Be a Great Pain Management Tool for Dogs
Unfortunately, misconceptions and false information about what CBD can and can’t do abound. For most dog owners, whether or not to use CBD is debatable. Understandably so, too. After all, it’s easy to be worried when you see what happens to dogs that accidentally ingest THC.
However, every dog owner wants to protect their pup’s health. Furthermore, dog owners want to alleviate any pain or stress their dogs may be suffering from. Dr. Jennifer Welser, Chief Medical Officer of Mars Veterinary Health, understands this. “ We know pet owners try various approaches…to help their dogs cope with stressful situations often with mixed results,” said Dr. Welser.
As a result, Dr. Welser said their main focus is scientific inquiry to gain insights to inform decisions by pet owners and pet health professionals. “ So,” continued Dr. Welser, “ this study is important because it gives us new evidence that CBD at the dose studied can be beneficial for dogs in specific circumstances.”
CBD Has Almost No Ill Effects on Dogs
Last year, another Waltham study showed that feeding dogs CBD long-term had almost no side effects. In that study, long-term ingestion showed no physiological changes and nothing detectable through blood examination or urinalysis. Importantly, the study’s authors still recommended that dog owners exercise caution. Specifically, the varying quality of hemp used in different supplements could have confounding effects on a dog’s health.
In terms of this recent study, it comes just as some states are making big moves around CBD. Last September, Pet Food Processing reported that Idaho lawmakers brought forth a bill that would ban hemp or hemp-derived products from any animal food product. Additionally, the FDA is exploring new regulations that could make CBD harder to come by.
Hopefully, these recent studies from Mars Petcare will serve to highlight that CBD is actually very safe and good for almost any dog. Of course, dog owners should always consult a vet before giving their dog supplements.
