As loving and caring pet parents, it’s absolutely heartbreaking to watch your four-legged friend battle conditions like arthritis, chronic pain, anxiety, and GI issues. The good news is that administering CBD to your dog can help treat these health problems. If you want to give this treatment a try, you may be wondering: How long does it take for CBD to work on dogs?
TLDR
It can take anywhere from 20 – 90 minutes for CBD items to work on your dog, depending on how you are dosing the CBD.
To be fair, every dog reacts to CBD differently. For this reason, the times it takes for the positive effects to kick in is subject to many factors, including:
- Dog’s ailment
- Form of CBD administration
- Bodyweight
- Type of breed
- Activity level
Rest assured, though, most canines see great health benefits after supplementing with CBD products. This is why dog owners are using CBD for their furry friends like never before.
How Long Does it Take for CBD Products to Work on Dogs?
In general, if you are giving your dog CBD to treat anxiety problems or acute pain, expect it to start working within 20 to 90 minutes.
Again, it’s hard to narrow it down more because of the different circumstances that each breed and dog are experiencing.
When it comes to chronic joint pain relief, anti-inflammation effects, and the many health benefits that hemp oil (FYI hemp oil and CBD oil are the same thing) might bring, your dog will show signs of significant relief within 2-4 weeks.
Dosing Guidelines on CBD Oil for Your Dog
There are a few different ways for CBD oil to get into your dog’s body and start to work.
One way to administer CBD is by dropping a dose of CBD oil directly under the dog’s tongue or rubbing it into their gums. With this form of delivery, CBD will get into the dog’s system faster.
Why?
Both humans and dogs can get quicker access to nutrients via their sublingual glands and absorption through their gums in the dog’s mouth. This delivery method is popular for this reason.
CBD oil starts working, when the CBD dosage is given sublingually, anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes, according to some research on sublingual administration in canines.
Alternatively, you can deliver CBD through infused CBD dog treats or by placing some drops into your dog’s food.
Related article: CBD for Dog Seizures Explained
The food route may take a little longer to get into the pet’s system, because absorption takes place through the stomach.
Also, keep in mind that older dogs usually take longer to digest the foods or CBD dog treats. Typically, CBD starts to work after approximately 45 to 90 minutes.
CBD oils and treats can vary in reaction time, but they provide the same level of effectiveness.
Watch for Signs of Relief After Giving Your Dog CBD Oil
As mentioned earlier, dogs respond differently when giving CBD to them.
Finding the sweet spot requires a little bit of experimenting. It is advisable to start with a low dose of CBD and monitor your pup’s reaction. If you don’t see changes in her within the above timelines, increase the dose amount little by little.
Please note that, at the moment, there’s no standard CBD dose for dogs. How much CBD oil your dog needs will be up to you to determine, for the most part.
However, high quality CBD manufacturers will likely indicate the dosage charts on the label to guide you in adjusting the CBD amount according to your dog’s weight. Generally speaking, large-sized or overweight dogs tend to require higher dosages than underweight ones.
Eventually, you’ll notice a difference when the CBD oil starts working. Finding that therapeutic dose to help your dog’s health conditions will just take some time to figure out – that’s all.
How Long Does CBD Last in a Dog’s System?
Once CBD kicks in, the positive effects from a single dose are likely to last anywhere between 4 and 8 hours. This time frame depends on the dog’s metabolism, which varies based on your pet’s size, age, breed, health condition, CBD concentration, and activity level.
Remember, different dogs will have slightly different body functions.
Monitoring how long CBD effects last is crucial to determining the dosage frequency for your pup. As a good rule, you can administer CBD once per day. Watch how your dog’s body responds.
If your pet still shows signs of discomfort after the CBD effects wear off, give her another dose as needed.
Many pet owners new to CBD for dogs have concerns over overdosing on their canine friends. CBD is safe, and pets can tolerate it well, even when they ingest it twice every day. It is rare to experience side effects.
Even if that happens, those effects are generally mild. Some research even shows that dogs cannot overdose on CBD.
Here’s what you need to know, though:
Not every CBD product out there is free of THC, the psychoactive compound that is found in trace amounts of the hemp plant.
Legally, hemp can have as much as 0.3% of THC. While this, likely, isn’t enough to have an effect on any healthy dog, some people wish to avoid the THC all together. They do this by purchasing a broad spectrum CBD oil.
Related article: CBD vs THC
Broad spectrum CBD contains near 0.0% of THC content, which some pet owners feel more comfortable about giving their pets.
You may want to go for high-quality CBD products with as little THC as possible. Be sure to choose treats or oils from reputable and trusted distributors for optimal results.
Wrapping Up
The time it takes for CBD oil or CBD dog treats to start working on dogs isn’t exactly straightforward. Also, a standard dose of CBD for your pet may differ from pet to pet.
Generally speaking, CBD dog treats, or other forms of CBD in food can take anywhere from 45 – 90 minutes to work.
If you’re looking for faster effects, consider sublingual absorption that includes placing CBD oil drops under your dog’s tongue, and around their gums. It can work a little quicker – normally in about 20 – 40 minutes.
Some pets will show an improvement in their chronic symptoms rather quickly. For others, it takes some tweaking to find the ideal CBD amount and dosage frequency.
Whether CBD supplementation is for situational anxiety or joint pain conditions, it’s imperative to start slow with small doses while monitoring the results.
If you have any concerns, always consult your vet.
References
Fujimura M, Ishimaru H. Rush sublingual immunotherapy in canine atopic dermatitis: a prospective pilot study. Pol J Vet Sci. 2016;19(1):3-6. doi: 10.1515/pjvs-2016-0001. PMID: 27096781.
Silver RJ. The Endocannabinoid System of Animals. Animals (Basel). 2019;9(9):686. Published 2019 Sep 16. doi:10.3390/ani9090686
Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Clinical Efficacy of Cannabidiol Treatment in Osteoarthritic Dogs. Front. Vet. Sci., 23 July 2018 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00165
Deabold KA, Schwark WS, Wolf L, Wakshlag JJ. Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics and Preliminary Safety Assessment with Use of CBD-Rich Hemp Nutraceutical in Healthy Dogs and Cats. Animals (Basel). 2019;9(10):832. Published 2019 Oct 19. doi:10.3390/ani9100832
