Using Cannabis and Cannabidiol (CBD Oil) in Dog Training and Behavior Work

Abstract

The continuing legalization of cannabis has led to a growing number of cannabis-based products available for sale in the pet market, where sales have quadrupled since 2017. Dog owners are increasingly using these products for their dogs, and may be seeking advice on their use from their trainer or behavior consultant. Despite the wild claims, there is limited science to support the use of these products, and a number of cautions and issues that trainers and behaviour specialists may want to be aware of when working with clients.

Full text

ApublicationoftheInternationalAssociationofAnimalBehaviorConsultants,https://iaabc.org
UsingCannabisandCannabidiol(CBDOil)inDogTrainingandBehaviorWork
2019-08-0101:08:11qbgiw
HelenPrinold
ThecontinuinglegalizationofcannabishasledtoagrowingnumberofCBDoilproductsavailableforsaleinthepetmarket,
wheresaleshavequadrupledsince2017.Dogownersareincreasinglyusingtheseproductsfortheirdogs,andmaybeseeking
adviceontheirusefromtheirtrainerorbehaviorconsultant.Despitethewildclaims,thereislimitedsciencetosupporttheuse
oftheseproducts,andanumberofcautionsandissuesthattrainersandbehaviourspecialistsmaywanttobeawareofwhen
workingwithclients.
Mellowdogordangerousoverdose?
AsaresultoflegalizationofcannabisinseveralstatesandacrossCanada,trainersandbehavioristsarelikelyincreasingly
facedwithquestionsfromclientsaboutwhethercannabismightbehelpfulfortheirdog.Afterall,theownerwhofeelstheirdog
is“hyper”or“anxious”mightthinkitisgoodcommonsenseto“mellowtheirdogout”withabitofpot.Thismaybewhythe
surveyfirmBrightfieldGroupstatesthatsalesofcannabis-derivedproductsforpetsquadrupledfrom2017to2018—atrend
theypredictwillcontinueoverthenextcoupleofyears.
Unfortunately,dogsreactbadlytotheTHC,thepsychoactiveingredientincannabis/marijuana(BrutlagandHommerding,
2018).THCistoxictodogs—anddogshavebeenpoisonedbyexposuretoedibles.Insomeofthesecases,therewere
additionaltoxicingredientsinvolved—suchaschocolate,raisins,orxylitol—thecombinationofwhichresultedinapoorer
outcome.CasesofTHCtoxicityhavebeenreportedbyboththeAmericanandCanadianVeterinaryMedicalAssociations
(personalcommunications),aswellastotheAnimalPoisonControlCenteroftheAmericanSocietyforthePreventionof
CrueltytoAnimals(MeansandWismer,2018).
ThisriseisattributedbothtotheincreasedlegalizationofmarijuanabutalsotostrongerTHCconcentrations.As
manufacturersmovedfromcannabisproductiontoproducingsensamilla(unpollinatedfloweringfemaletopsofthecannabis
plant),THCconcentrationsinatypicalsamplehaverisenfrom1.5%inthe1960sto24%by2014(BrutlagandHommerding,
2018).CatsdonotappeartobeassusceptibletoTHCoverdoses—infactanearlystudyshowedTHCwasanappropriate
treatmentforepilepsyincats(Wadeetal.,1973).
Typicalsignsofadogwithcannabistoxicosisareadepressedanduncoordinateddog“seemingdrunk,”andoftendribbling
urine(MeansandWismer,2018).Alimitednumberofdeathshavealsobeenreportedduetocannabistoxicityandassociated
complications,suchaschokingonvomit(BrutlagandHommerding,2018).Soitisvitalweencourageclientstoavoidgiving
THC-ladenproductstodogs.It’salsogoodpracticetomentionthatclientsshouldpracticesafestorageoftheircannabisto
protecttheirpetsandavoidexposingtheirpetstosmoke.
Despitethistoxicity,clinicalapplicationsforTHCindogswilllikelybeinvestigatedinthefuture.AttheNorthAmerican
VeterinaryCommunity’sVeterinaryMedicalExpoin2018,veterinarianDr.RobertSilverhighlightedinhispresentationthat
dogsmightbeabletohabituatetoTHCwithadosethatittitrated(builtup)overtime.However,itisnotyetclearhowtodo
thissafely.AsDr.SilverworksforRxVitaminsinBoulder,Colorado,itispossiblethisissomethinghisfirmmaybe
investigating.InthesameaddressheencouragedtheexplorationofTHC-containingproductsforcancertreatment(Silver,
2018).Thereare,however,somecannabis-basedproductsthatarelesstoxictodogs—thereareaplethoraofNorthAmerican
manufacturersmakingproductsfromhempthataremarketedasbeingTHC-free.Theyonlycontaincannabidiol.THCand
cannabidiolarethetwomostabundantcannaboids(activeingredientsthataffectthebrain)incannabis.
CBDforalladog’sills
Cannabisthathasextremelylowlevels(lessthan0.3%bydryweight)ofTHCisclassifiedashemp.Atthispointitappearsthat
themostcommonproductsonthemarketfordogsarehemp-derivedcannabidiol(CBD)oilsandchews.You’llseethe
contradiction,Ihope:Claimsthathemp-basedproductsare“THC-free”areprimarilyfalse,asmosthempproductsdocontain
someresidualTHCat—hopefully—non-toxiclevels.
Unfortunately,thereisnoresearchonthelong-termeffectsofusingCBDoilscontainingsmallamountsofTHCindogs.
Regulationsarestillbeingdevelopedorarejustbeingrolledout,andinmostcasestheregulatorscan’tkeepupwiththewide
varietyofproductshittingtheshelvesinmostpetorhumanhealth-foodstores.
InCanada,hemp-basedproductsfordogsarelegalandareapprovedforsaleundertheVeterinaryHealthProductsAct
IndustrialHempRegulations.Theseproductsmustcontainlessthan10ppmTHCandhaveaVHPnotificationnumberonthe
label(CollegeofVeterinariansofOntario,2019).Oilsderivedfrommarijuana—nothemp—shouldnotbeusedwithdogsas
theyareillegalintheU.S.andCanada,andgenerallycontainhigherlevelsofTHC.
AcrossNorthAmerica,governmentshavenoapproveddrugsthatarelegallylicensedtoactuallytreathealthconditionsin
animals—andthisincludesCBDoil(AmericanandCanadianVeterinaryMedicalAssociations,2018).So,toclarify,youcan
useCBDoilsforadogwithmildnon-clinicalanxiety,buttherearenolegalandsafecannabis-containingdrugstotreatserious
generalizedanxietydisordersasdiagnosedbyveterinarians.
Normally,inhumanandveterinarymedicine,claimsaboutdrugsandhealthproductscuringcancerorotherdiseasesmustbe
backedupbysolidresearchandarepolicedstrictly.Regulationsforproductsfordogsaresomewhatlesswell-policedwhenit
comestosupplementsandhealth-maintainingproducts.
ThemostimportantthingtoknowisthatthereiscurrentlynoscientificevidencetosupportclaimsthatCBDoilscaneffectively
treatseparationanxiety,noisephobias,cancer,ordermatitisindogs,noraretheyshowntobegood“vitamins”tobeuseddaily
byourpets.Unfortunately,alloftheseareclaimsbeingmadedailybymanufacturersandindustry-sponsoredassociations!
Withoutstudies,foreveryanecdoteaboutapetthatdoeswellonCBDoil,itispossibletofindastoryofanownerwhostopped

usingitbecause“nothingchanged”.AndtherearestoriesaplentyintheworldofCBDoilmarketing.Igenerallyprefernotto
basemyrecommendationstoclientsonsuchflimsyevidence.
Therearetworecentexceptionscurrentlytothelackofevidence.Thatdoesnotmean,however,thatthereshouldbeagreen
light“goahead”forustoinformourclientstouseCBDoiltotreattheseconditions.
Gambleetal.(2018)andMcGrathetal.(2019)reportedusingCBDsuccessfullytoreducepainandepilepticepisodesinsmall
samplesofdogs.However,bothstudiesalsoreporteddisturbingchangesinakeyliverfunctionenzyme(whichindicatesliver
diseaseanddysfunction).McGrathalsoreportedtherewasnodifferencefromplaceboresultsintheirstudy.So,basically,CBD
mighthaveauseincontrollingpainandepilepsy,butmorestudyisneededtomakesureitcanbeusedsafely.
Inadditiontotheconcernsaboutliverfunction,inthecaseofdogscurrentlyonmedicationmetabolizedbytheliver,CBD
metabolisiscouldpotentiallyreducetheeffectivenessoftheexistingmedicationandincreaseliverdamagerisk(Greband
Puschner,2018).WeknowthatCBDcanalsoacttosuppresstheimmunesystem(ibid).
AlsoconcerningarerecentreportsoflabanalysesintheU.S.indicatingthataportionofproductscurrentlyavailableonthe
marketarelabeledinaccuratelywithrespecttoboththeidentityandamountofactiveingredientfoundwithintheproduct.The
U.S.FoodandDrugAdministrationisregularlysendingwarningletterstomanufacturersaboutthis.Productsmarketedasnot
havingTHCarealsobeingfoundincorrectlylabeled.Thiscouldleadtoaccidentalpoisoningsinpets.
Finally,IhaveheardveterinariansandtrainersalikesuggestthatrecommendingCDBmayencourageownerstotrytouse
cheaperandmoredangerousversionscontainingTHC,by“smokingup”theirdogs,usinglessexpensivehome-grownedibles
andmakingtheirownnon-hemp-basedCBDs.Thisdoesmakesensewhenyouconsiderthefairlyhighcostofmanyofthese
newproducts.
Consultingroomconcerns
Alloftheseconcernsdon’tmeanthatthenextdogownerintoyourconsultingroomwon’talreadybegivingtheirdogCBDoils
orrelatedproducts—oratleastconsideringit.
Asaresultoftheincreaseinsalesoftheseproducts,Inowalwaysaskspecificallyinmyintakeswhetheraclientisusing
cannabis-basedproductswiththeirdogs.Exposuretocannabis,synthetics,andCBDoilhasbeenshowntocauseincreasesin
agitationandirritableaggression(BrutlagandHommerdang,2018),andIwanttobeasawareaspossibleofallofthefactors
thatmightinfluencethedoginfrontofme.
Useoftheseproductscanalsoreducetheeffectivenessoftrainingattimes.DogtrainerswithclientsusingCBDoilshave
reportedthatdogshaveshowndrymouthanddrowsiness,bothofwhichareknownCBDsideeffectsthatcaninterferewith
trainingandbehaviormodificationwork(MeansandWismer,2018).
AsIalwaysstartmybehaviourworkbyrecommendingaveterinaryhealthcheck,Ialsohavetakentoencouragingmyclientsto
lettheirveterinariansknowiftheyareusingtheseproducts,tocheckwiththeveterinarianforpossibleinteractionsiftheirdog
isonothermedications,andtoaskforabloodtestnow(andperiodicallyinthefuture)toensurethedog’sliverfunctionis
stable.
AccordingtotheveterinariansIhavespokenwithabouttheseissues,clientswithdogswhopresentinconsultationsasbeing
excessivelysleepy,sensitivetolightorsound,withdilatedpupilsandlotsofsalivation,irritableaggression,oragitationshould
beaskedaboutpossibleexposuretoTHCinthelastfewdays.Ialwaysstartthisareaofquestioningbyasking“Isitpossible
thatyourdogmighthavegottenintoanymarijuanaproducts—maybeafriendleftsomelyingaround?”Thatgivestheclientan
opportunitytomentionapossibleexposurewithouthavingtofeelblamedforit.
AfteranyconcernsaboutTHC-toxosisaredealtwith,IamoccasionallyaskedbyclientswhetheraCBDproductmighthelptheir
dog.Basedonalloftheconcernsnotedabove,Idon’tmakeanyblanketpositiverecommendations.Idon’thandoutflyers,and
Idon’tcommentonanyparticularproductsinmylocalmarket.
Aveterinaryregulatoralsorecentlyremindedmethatproductrecommendationsalwayscanleadtosomeliabilityfor
veterinariansandbehaviorexperts.Inherexample,adoctorwhorecommendedagoodstiffdrinkofalcoholforsocialanxietyis
notresponsibleforthesafetyorsaleofalcohol,buttheycanbeliableifthepatientbecameanalcoholicordevelopedcirrhosis
oftheliver.IexpectthesameholdstrueifbehaviorconsultantsrecommendCBDoilsforanxietyandthedogdevelopsliver
disease.Thatalonegivesmeabitofpause.
Insteadofsaying“goforit,”whatIdoissuggesttoclientsthattherearealreadyreasonablygood,effectiveandwell-regulated
productsformedicalissuessuchaspaincontrol,anxiety,andnoisephobiasthatcanbeprescribedbyaveterinarian.Isuggest
thatiftheirdogisshowingsignificantsymptomsofadisorder,veterinarymedicationsmightbeabetterchoicerightnow,
particularlyuntiltheCBDoilmarketstabilizesinthenextfewyearsandthesignificantissuesaroundCBDoilsareresolved.I
tellthemmypositionmaywellchangeinthenextfewyearsasthesciencecatchesuptotherealityofwhatourclientstrywith
theirdogs.
IsuggestthatifclientsdowanttogoaheadandtryCBDoil,theyreadovertheversionofthisarticleIuseasaclienthandout.I
alsosuggesttheydotheirownresearchontheproducttheyarethinkingofbuying,andcheckifthecompanyiswillingto
providesomeinformationontheproductanditsingredientsonabatch-by-batchbasis.ItellthemwillwouldtoavoidCBDin
tincturesthathaveanalcoholbase(asalcoholisalsonotgreatfordogs).Afterallthat,Itellthemthatthedecisionistotallyup
tothemandthatIwillworkwiththemeitherway.
Thismaybealittleoverthetop,butIfindclientsrightnowarebeingbombardedbywell-meaningfellowpetownersandin-
storemarketingmaterial.Socialpressuretohavetriedtheseproductsisnotinsignificant.Mostclientsseemrelievedtogeta
broaderperspectiveandtobeawareoftheotherissuesinvolved.Isuspecttheir“ifitsoundstoogoodtobetrueitprobablyis”
radarhasbeensubconsciouslyalertingthemthattheremightbeaproblemwiththeglowingclaimstheyarehearing.
Sometimestheclientfeelscomfortableenoughatthatpointtosharethattheyhavebeengivingtheirdogsomeoftheirown
CBDproducts.Whethertheclientindicatesaninterestornot,ourdialoguehasplacedmebesidethem,asacaringpartner
workingontheirbehalfwhotheycantrusttoprovidethoughtfulandwell-curatedadvice.Ihavefoundmyclientrelationships
becomestrongerafterthesediscussions.

Finally,IalwaysaskclientswhohavedecidedtouseCBDproductstoavoidusingthemforatleast24hoursbeforecomingto
classordoingbehaviormodificationwork.AndImakesuretohavewateravailablefordogsintheconsultroomjustincase.
References
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Brutlag,A.,Hommerding,H.,(2018).ToxicologyofMarijuana,SyntheticCannabinoids,andCannabidiolinDogsandCats.
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Cannabisoilresearch.com,n.d.InformativeWebsites—CannabisOilResearch.Accessed7.3.19.
CollegeofVeterinariansofOntario,n.d.CannabisandCBDOilforAnimals.Accessed7.3.19.
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
HelenPrinoldownsDogFriendshipinOntario,Canada,wheresheprovidespuppysocializationclasses,helpsraisegreatfamily
pets,andsupportsclientsastheybuilddogsportskills.Shehasabehaviourconsultingpractice,istheweeklyvolunteer
behaviouristatherlocalanimalshelter,andhasalsorunthepuppytrainingprogramforaservicedogcharity.Sheholdsa
master’sdegreeinanimalbehaviourandwelfare,hasaCPDT-KAcertification,andisCertifiedDogBehaviorConsultant
throughIAABC.Currently,sheispresidentoftheCanadianAssociationofProfessionalPetDogTrainers.Helenhastwodogs–
aLyme-diseasedshelterrescueAmericanEskimoandanundersocializedYorkiePoorescuedaftertwoyearslivingindoorsin
justoneroom.Fromtimetotimesheremindsherselfthatdespitethehighcostsofworkingwithdogs,theyarestillcheaper
andmoreportablethanthehorsesthatshetrainedformanyyears.
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ApublicationoftheInternationalAssociationofAnimalBehaviorConsultants,https://iaabc.org