The benefits of CBD for dogs are well established: cannabidiol helps fight stress, strengthens the immune system, and soothes certain pains.

It is a real well-being asset for the animals who benefit from it.

But can CBD trigger long-term side effects? Is it well tolerated in the long term?

A very recent American study looked at the subject of CBD tolerance in dogs over a period of 6 months with daily intake.

The researchers answered this question unambiguously: Yes, CBD is well tolerated in the long term by healthy adult dogs .

 

CBD Tolerance in Dogs: A Rigorous 6-Month Study

Although studies evaluating the efficacy and tolerance of CBD in dogs can be found in the scientific literature, they generally involve short-term administrations.

Therefore, there was a lack of a study on the long-term safety of cannabidiol in dogs.

This has now been done with this American study published in the prestigious veterinary medicine journal “ Frontiers in Veterinary Science ”.

The experiment included 40 healthy adult dogs over a period of 26 weeks, supplemented by a 4-week follow-up without CBD administration.

The workforce included 17 Labradors, 8 Beagles and 15 Norfolk Terriers, all disease-free.

In accordance with current US legislation, the dogs were treated well.

In particular, they benefited from high-quality food, heated boxes with access to a small outdoor area, outings on a leash and periods of socialization with their peers.

This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, meaning that half of the animals received CBD and the other half an inert product packaged in identical capsules.

Neither the researchers nor the veterinarians and animal handlers caring for the animals knew which dog was receiving CBD or the placebo, and the latter were randomly assigned to one canine or another (hence “randomized” which means chance in English).

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are the gold standard of clinical research; they are the ones that are free from many biases and have the most scientific value.

 

CBD in dogs and long-term side effects: 40 dogs closely monitored

The animals were therefore separated into 2 groups. The CBD group received 4 mg/kg of cannabidiol every morning, the second group was offered a placebo.

Follow-up consisted of regular blood tests, urine and stool analyses, as well as fortnightly veterinary examinations and twice-daily wellness assessments.

Known side effects of CBD, such as digestive disorders, hypersalivation or a staggering gait, were looked for every day by the “blind” animal handlers, that is, those who did not know which dog was taking CBD or not and were therefore not influenced one way or another.

For blood tests, particular attention was paid to liver parameters due to the biological elimination of CBD by the liver (which therefore “works” more); it was important to assess the impact of long-term cannabidiol intake on this essential organ.

The 2 main parameters evaluated were ALAT (Alanine aminotransferase) and PAL (Alkaline phosphatase). These 2 enzymes reflect the good health of the liver. An increase in ALAT indicates that the liver cells are damaged, an increase in PAL is rather a sign of biliary congestion.

PALs are not very specific, however; they are also produced in other tissues such as bone.

 

Reassuring results on the long-term use of CBD in dogs

All 40 dogs completed the clinical study. No adverse effects were detected by either the animal handlers or the veterinarians during the duration of the experiment.

Analyses showed that the blood level of CBD increased steadily over the 6 months and then dropped abruptly when administration stopped.

Blood and urine tests remained within normal values ​​in both groups, except for PAL.

The researchers observed a transient increase in this parameter in the treated dogs. Eleven of the dogs on CBD had their ALP levels exceed the reference values. However, all dogs had returned to normal levels 4 weeks after stopping CBD.

Other liver parameters remained within normal limits and no symptoms related to liver damage were observed in dogs receiving cannabidiol.

The scientists then furthered their analyses and discovered that this increase in PAL was mainly the consequence of the increase in PAL of bone origin.

This could indicate that CBD induces an increase in bone tissue synthesis activity in healthy adult dogs.

A previous study has also corroborated this hypothesis: it demonstrated an increase in bone density and help in repairing fractures in rats receiving CBD.

“The study demonstrated that a daily oral dose of CBD at this concentration (4mg/kg) and duration (6 months) was well tolerated by clinically healthy adult dogs.” conclude the authors of this research, which fills a gap in the study of cannabidiol in dogs.

However, researchers warn about the use of CBD on animals suffering from different pathologies (with risks of interference with other medications), about possible variations in CBD metabolism from one breed of dog to another and about the importance of using quality products.

Before giving CBD to your companion, always make sure to buy cannabinoid for dogs without THC , do not overdose and do not hesitate to seek advice from your veterinarian, especially if your dog is elderly, suffers from a chronic illness or if you are considering administration for more than 6 months