“How much CBD can I give my dog?”

This is the real problem.

Just like humans, dogs too can suffer from some ailment that does not make them live peacefully. Perhaps your dog is going through a period of anxiety, is in pain because of an illness or is suffering from convulsions.

And you have discovered that CBD is a great natural product with which to care for your four-legged friend.

That’s right, CBD has beneficial properties that make it ideal for the treatment of so many conditions. The only question is how much product to give your dog.

In fact, there is no such thing as a universal dosage precisely because each specimen has its own characteristics. That is why we decided to write this guide on CBD for dogs where we will explain exactly what you need to do.

What hemp oil for dogs is good for

Hemp oil, or CBD oil, is an extremely versatile product that allows oral administration. This is why et owners prefer it to all other cannabis products.

CBD is the non-psychoactive active ingredient produced by the hemp plant that can treat minor annoyances as well as more serious illnesses. This is possible because dogs also possess an endocannabinoid system, which is very important in the regulation of physiological and cognitive functions.

When the system does not produce enough endocannabinoids, the substances that keep all these functions in balance, the body becomes ill. The cannabinoids produced by hemp and contained in CBD oil can restore the body to its original healthy state.

CBD is therefore used to treat forms of anxiety and stress, chronic pain, inflammation, convulsions, stiff joints, digestive and urinary tract problems, and even seems to be able to slow down cancer and alleviate its symptoms.

CBD dosage calculation for dogs

The efficacy of CBD is now proven by numerous scientific tests that continue to find more and more uses for this incredible product. The real problem is figuring out how much CBD to give your dog because its effectiveness depends on it.

Factors affecting the calculation of CBD dosage for dogs are:

• Type of product: the product can be in the form of oil as well as cream, crunch, supplements and so on, and obviously the method of absorption is different;
• CBD concentration: the entry-level version of the oil has a 5% CBD composition and is ideal for first-time product testers; if the problem persists, there are products with a higher percentage of active ingredient;
• Weight of the dog: this is one of the key factors in determining the correct dosage for both humans and animals;
• Severity of the disorder: also important in the choice of dosage is the severity, i.e., whether we are talking about a nuisance or a more important disease.

That said, we are now ready to find out how many drops of CBD oil you should give your dog depending on his size.

Doses for very small dogs

If you have a very small dog, such as a Chihuahua, it is advisable to start with a very low dosage, especially if it is the first time you are giving him CBD.

You can remember this rule: 1mg per 2kg, a couple of times a day.

Very small dogs usually weigh between about 2 and 4 kg, which means you can give them 1 to 

2mg. This is the basic dosage, which can be increased depending on the severity of the symptoms.

Chihuahuas certainly fall into this category, but also dogs such as the Maltese, Pomeranian and Yorkshire. If you do not see immediate results, you can try administering the product 3 or 4 times a day because it is true that dogs are extremely small, but precisely because of this they have a very fast metabolism.

If you still do not see positive results, try increasing the dosage by 1mg per week.

Dosage for small dogs

Small dogs are considered to be those ranging from about 6 to 12kg such as the Shih Tzu, Boston Terrier or the Scottish Shetland Sheepdog.

CBD dosage for small dogs varies from 3 to 5mg depending on weight, a couple of times a day.

Again, the rule is to increase the dosage by 1mg until you start to see some improvement in your four-legged friend. Remember that it is always best to start with a low dose and then gradually increase it, especially if it is the first time with this product.

CBD for medium-sized dogs

Medium-sized dogs are considered to be those ranging from 13 to 25 kg, such as the French Bulldog, Beagle, Corgi or Spaniel.

In this case the rule is: 6 to 10mg a couple of times a day.

If the symptoms of the condition to be treated are very mild, you can also consider a dosage between 3-6mg. If, on the contrary, the symptoms are more serious, you can increase the dosage by a few mg.

CBD dosage for large dogs

Large dogs are those from around 30kg upwards, such as Retrievers or Boxers, and even Great Danes, which fall into the extra-large size category.

The dosage of CBD for large dogs is: from 10mg upwards, without exceeding 30mg.

A larger dog requires a higher dosage, even though its metabolism is slower than that of smaller dogs and this detail should not be ignored. As in all other cases, we recommend starting with a low dosage and then gradually increasing it over time.

How many drops of CBD to give the dog

So far, we have seen how many mg of CBD you should give your dog, but how do you calculate the dosage? In a nutshell, how many drops of CBD should you give your dog?

Let’s take a 10ml bottle of 5% CBD oil as an example. This concentration means that there is 500mg of active ingredient in 10ml. Knowing that a bottle of this size contains about 200 drops, we can easily find the concentration for each individual drop: 2.5mg.

So how many drops of CBD 5% can you take per day? One drop is more than enough for small dogs, whereas you will have to do a simple calculation to find the drops to administer to large dogs. For example, to get to 10mg, you would have to administer 4 drops.

If it helps, you can create a CBD dosage table where you write down all the doses administered from the first. You can then keep track of the effects and consciously increase the dose as needed.

How to administer CBD oil to a dog?

When we talk about CBD for animals, we have to discard several methods of administration. Your dog cannot drink a CBD herbal tea or inhale it with a vaporizer.

Here are some common options for administering CBD oil to dogs:

1. Add CBD oil to food: CBD oil comes with a dosing syringe that can be used to add the oil directly to your dog’s food; 
2. Apply CBD oil directly on your dog’s tongue: if your dog agrees to take the CBD oil directly from the dosing syringe, you can administer it on the tongue, which gives you more precise control over the amount of CBD administered;
3. Mix CBD oil with a dog treat: if your dog loves dog treats you can mix CBD oil with a treat, this can be an effective strategy if your dog is squeamish or has difficulty accepting the product.

In any case, make sure you only buy CBD oil specifically for pets and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the dose and best method of administration.

Are there any risks in administering CBD to dogs?

Human or animal, CBD is a substance that is generally well tolerated by all. No serious side effects have ever surfaced during scientific studies. The only effects that occurred in rare cases were dry mouth, drowsiness, fatigue, nausea, diarrhoea and dizziness.

It is important to know that these side effects occurred mostly not due to too high a dosage but due to interaction with other drugs. This means that if you are already administering a course of treatment to your dog, you should seek your vet’s advice on both compatibility and dosage before adding CBD.

It is not advisable to exceed the ideal dose, although no serious side effects have ever arisen.  

How much CBD oil is too much for a dog? It is too much when it greatly exceeds the recommended dose for its size (see the CBD dosage calculator for pets provided above broken down by size).  

However, it appears that there is no risk of overdose. It is simply that when CBD is administered excessively, it tends to be ineffective.

Where to find CBD products for animals

Now you know everything you need to know about CBD dosage calculation for dogs. Interested in a purchase?

If you are looking for CBD oil for dogs, always remember to buy products designed for animals. They contain neither THC nor terpenes, natural substances that dogs and cats cannot synthesise and that could cause problems.

Also make sure you only buy from serious sellers who are transparent about cultivation and production methods. Only then can you be sure of getting a quality, 100% natural product that does not contain toxic residues.If your dog suffers from some ailment or you simply want to keep him healthy, visit our shop and discover the whole line of products we have created especially for pets. You will find CBD oil for dogs and many other tempting novelties.