Dog anxiety is a real condition that can affect your pet’s behavior and happiness—as well as their overall quality of life. Living with an anxious pet can also be challenging for you, especially when you don’t know how to help or when the resulting behaviors complicate your life. When pet parents attempt but fail to help their furbaby find relief through training and counterconditioning strategies, many turn to CBD for pet anxiety.  But how much CBD should you give your dog? Here’s what you need to know.

TYPES OF PET ANXIETY

Not all pet anxiety is the same. Where one dog may have a panicked response to bicycles, another may become distraught when they’re left behind. Older dogs with cognitive dysfunctions often experience anxiety because they’re confused and disoriented. And for some pets, a history of trauma makes anxiety a part of their everyday experience. Pet anxiety typically falls into one of five main categories:

• Noise sensitivity  (doorbell, vacuum cleaner, lawnmower)
• Social anxiety (unfamiliar people and their pets )
• Separation anxiety (being left alone)
• Fear of veterinary visits
• Generalized anxiety (constant high alert, anxiety, and fear)

You know your pet best.  If you think your furbaby has anxiety, talk to your vet. If you’re still not sure, and you want a little more information before you have that conversation, take a look below at some of the symptoms of pet anxiety.

SYMPTOMS OF PET ANXIETY

Anxiety can be the result of trauma, the loss of a pet parent or companion animal, or even the emotional environment of the household. The symptoms can be temporary or chronic but either way, treatment is usually recommended. Here are some of the symptoms to look out for.

• Trembling
• Tail tucking
• Hiding
• Panting
• Pacing
• Restlessness
• Escape behaviors
• Destructive behaviors
• Aggression
• Urinating or defecating in the house
• Excessive barking

If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, or any other changes in behavior or mood, take note of possible triggers and talk to your vet about your concerns. There’s a good chance CBD will be one of the options they recommend.

WHAT IS CBD?

CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the two most common natural compounds derived from the cannabis plant. The other, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), is famous for its psychoactive effects (the high), while CBD is better known for its health benefits.  Although both compounds can aid in the relief of certain health conditions, CBD products are a good option for those who want to steer clear of the side effects associated with THC.

CBD is known to help relieve symptoms associated with a wide range of health conditions, including arthritis, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, and cancer, as well as pain relief, nausea, acne, insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

At Off The Charts Dispensary, we offer a variety of different CBD products, including edibles, gummies, vape oils, extracts, topicals, tinctures, and even CBD products for pets.

HOW MUCH CBD IS SAFE FOR PETS WITH ANXIETY?

Every pet is different, of course, and CBD products vary as well. We recommend discussing dosage with a vet who regularly prescribes CBD for pets. In general, however, our research shows that most veterinarians recommend somewhere around 1-5mg of CBD per 10 pounds of body weight. So, for a 10-pound dog, 1mg would be a low dose, 3mg a mid-range dose, and 5mg a large dose. For a 20-pound dog, 2mg would be a low dose, 6mg a mid-range dose, and 10 a large dose.  Most vets recommend starting with a low or mid-range dose (depending on the size and constitution of the dog) and waiting an hour or so before increasing the dose.

NEED CBD FOR PET ANXIETY? SHOP OFF THE CHARTS DISPENSARY

At Off the Charts, our pet parent customers swear by the CBD products we carry. If your dog shows signs of anxiety and your vet recommends CBD, come on in and we’ll show you our most popular CBD products for pet anxiety.  Whether you want delivery, in-store shopping, or curbside pickup, Off The Charts is your go-to for excellent service and the highest quality cannabis products. We have locations in Palm Springs, CA, and Vista, CA—and more coming in Sherman Oaks and South Los Angeles.

‍