In the UK, there are many dog owners who have been thinking about giving their dogs CBD oils. There are even vets that recommend CBD products for dogs. And it's not hard to see why - CBD is touted as a great product for humans to consume, so surely it should have a similar benefit for dogs?
Dogs also have an Endocannabinoid System which uses cannabinoids in almost the same way as humans. So this alone is proof that dogs could benefit from the consumption of CBD. Studies have shown that dogs can absorb CBD very effectively and can definitely make use of the cannabinoids.
However, you do have to be wary of certain things when selecting CBD oil for your dog; dogs are much smaller than humans, and are much more sensitive to taste and smell than use too. For that reason, we thought it would be useful to outline a few tips you can follow when selecting CBD oil for your dog. We'll be covering the following topics:
If you want to see our best CBD oils for humans (including Blessed CBD), check out our list here!
Is CBD oil legal for dogs in the UK?
Is CBD oil safe for dogs and are there any side effects?
How can you buy CBD oil for dogs in the UK?
What brands can you buy from in the UK?
Let's get into it:
Is CBD Oil for Dogs Legal in the UK?
CBD for dogs & pets is legal in the UK, but it is classed as a 'medicine' and a seller needs the correct licences to be able to sell it legally. This has caused a few issues with the availability for CBD oil for pets which is becoming more and more difficult to get your hands on; the ones that do seem to be available in the UK are mostly US-based and may be selling you a dream of cheap and ineffective CBD for dogs & cats.
The issue comes with the legality of CBD oil for dogs, cats, and pets as it is classed as a 'medicine' for them, and a 'food supplement' for humans. So while what is in the bottle is identical (in many cases) a company without the correct licence cannot legally sell you CBD products explicitly for the use on pets.
So thousands of people do not know where to turn.... and sadly there are very, very few vets who actually have a licence/ are allowed to sell CBD oil for dogs, cats or pets in the UK. This brings a rise in companies who sell CBD oil for pets that are fake or poor quality- please stay away from Amazon, Ebay or some random CBD chews.
Let's look at the facts and ignore the bureaucracy and governmental cartel mentality for a second- a pet has an Endocannabinoid System (like us) and whole-plant hemp-based products are deemed to be safe for them. Not just from lab reports, but real-world examples. Giving your dog or pet CBD works, which is why it is classed as a 'medicine' and is restricted for sale.
The only difference is that they need much less than we do. It is essential that you speak to your vet before giving your pet any kind of food supplement.
... but we are here to get you off the path of fake CBD oils and onto the road that is the best for your pet. We fully suggest speaking to your vet, but if they do not have CBD for you it is best to choose a whole plant product or a water-soluble 'broad-spectrum' CBD oil.
Is CBD Oil safe for dogs/what are the side effects?
Although there has been extensive research into how humans are affected by CBD, there is little research into how dogs are affected by the compound. Having said that, more anecdotal evidence is showing that dogs can consume CBD safely, albeit at much lower levels when compared to humans.
There are a couple of side effects that you should be aware of if you want to give CBD to your dog:
- Dry mouth - some studies suggest that CBD can decrease saliva production, which would cause your dog to be thirstier than usual.
- Drowsiness - CBD can often cause drowsiness, but the best way to avoid this is to use a lower dose
- Diarrhea/upset stomach - CBD can sometimes cause diarrhea if too much is consumed, again starting with a lower dose can help avoid this. CBD can actually often be effective at helping with an upset stomach, so it's important to start very slow (especially with smaller dogs) so you can gauge the reaction safely.
How can you buy CBD Oil for dogs in the UK?
CBD for dogs is one of the most searched out products in the CBD market, the main reason for this is that CBD has the most effect on them, also add in the winter period when it seems like everybody is firing fireworks every other weekend. It is devastating to see your dog shiver away in terror and there is not much you can do about it. What is even more upsetting is that CBD is classed as a medicine making it illegal for retailers to sell for that purpose, yet there are almost no vets who can provide CBD oil for dogs UK wide. It is politics at its worst.
If you are really out to purchase a CBD oil for your Dog then it is best to follow these tips to make sure that you get the best CBD oil you can for them, and to make sure that what they are taking will not harm them.
- Lower Doses are Best. Your dog/ pet is very small so you only need a low dose. The best oils are a 2% up to a 10% CBD oil. For dogs under 10kgs it is best to give them a low dose of CBD, for dogs above that weight you should not go any higher than 10%. Dogs seem to use CBD like humans so it is best to start with a lower dose, just to be safe.
- Do not buy CBD Oil on Amazon! This is very important- do not buy any CBD from Amazon, Ebay or any other market platform. These are most likely fake simply down to the fact that these platforms do no allow CBD.
- Do not buy MCT Oils. Especially for dogs, if you are told to give your dog an MCT-based oil, do not take it. MCT can build up harmful fatty deposits in the pet's liver so could actually be harmful to them!
- Always keep the dose low. If you do end up desperately looking for CBD oil that no vet can provide you, then it is best to treat your pet as if they were a human- start very low and slow. For a wee lap dog or cat for instance, start with a 250mg or up to a 500mg oil - for a CBD oil for a large dog then anything up to 1000mgs will be best. Remember that a retailer cannot give you advice about the dose so you much do your research, speak to your vet and ensure the dose is not too much.
- On the tongue or in a water bowl. The easiest way to provide CBD oil for pets is to put the oil in a bowl or a few drops directly onto the tongue up to twice a day.
- Maybe best to wait for vets to get CBD oils
What brands you can buy CBD oil for dogs, cats & pets from in the UK?
- Good Vibe CBD
- Holistapet
- CBDfx (read our review here)
- cbdMD (read our review here)
- Flora Fusion
- Medterra (read our review here)
Good Vibe CBD dog shampoo
There is plenty of evidence to show how effective CBD can be when applied topically to human skin and hair, so the CBD dog shampoo from Good Vibe CBD makes perfect sense to us. This is a fantastic product - made with Organic CBD isolate alongside other natural ingredients like aloe and Vitamin B5. If your dog has dry or itchy fur, this shampoo is well worth a try. There is also a really useful video on the Good Vibe CBD website explaining what makes this product so awesome, check that out too!
Marley's Dog Balm
We found this product online when we were looking for dog CBD products, and we were so impressed by it that we thought we should include it in our guide. This CBD balm is ideal for running on the paws, skin and nose of your dog when their skin is getting dry or irritated. Each tub of balm contains CBD oil alongside other organic natural goodness like coconut oil, beeswax and shea butter. It's all-natural but still a potent product, definitely check it out.
Another of their popular products is the Super MAX Strength dog chews, which help with joint health and issues like arthritis. They're free from Corn, Wheat, Soy and packed with lots of goodness alongside hemp. They're available in duck or chicken flavour, and they're another great option for your dog.
Jaquo CBD oil
Jaquo is a brand based in France that stocks a 2.75% strength CBD oil, which is a perfect concentration for dogs and other small pets. One bottle will last around 60 days for your pet which is a good duration. It is made with hemp seed oil which provides further health benefits for your pet. Definitely check it out!
CBDmd Pet CBD oil tinctures (150mg - 3000mg)
CBDmd is a US-based brand but still a great option for CBD products for dogs here in the UK. They sell CBD treats for pets and a few other products like that, but we wanted to focus on their tinctures for this guide. Concentrations start from 150mg per 30ml and go all the way up to 3000mg per 30ml for larger dogs. Flavours include peanut butter or unflavoured, so if your dog is a fussy eater it's great to have the peanut butter flavour.
Prices start from around £20, check them out!
Loudoun County Hemp CBD stalk chew
If you've got a dog then you'll know that they generally love chewing on stuff, which is why we're such big fans of the CBD stalk chews sold by Loudoun County Hemp. Apparently, the team has a dog (pictured) who absolutely loves the stalks and will often choose them over her usual chews and toys - if that isn't a huge endorsement then we don't know what is!
Unlike other dog chews, these are totally natural products. They're simply CBD flower stalks that have been cut, dried and trimmed - nothing more. Dogs will love them because they're a sort of stick/chew hybrid, plus they'll be consuming CBD which has endless benefits for dogs. Definitely check these out.
Holistapet
This is a full-spectrum CBD oil that can easily be added to a dog's food or water (or applied directly to their mouth if they're well-behaved!). We like the Holistapet range and it's great to see lab results included too.
Flora Fusion CBD oil for Pets
Flora Fusion is a pretty established brand based in Scotland, and they have a pet CBD oil that is designed for, you guessed it, pets. This is quite interesting because there are not too many brands based in the UK that are openly selling CBD oils for pets. What we like about this CBD oil is that Flora Fusion has adjusted the concentration slightly to make it safer for pets such as dogs to consume. They've also added some high-grade salmon oil to the recipe to make it taste more pleasant for your furry friend. It's also nice to see that the hemp used to create this CBD oil is organically grown.
Prices for this dog CBD oil start at £25 for the 200mg 10ml bottle, which is not a bad price at all.
Canniant Puppy CBD oil
This is a beef flavoured CBD oil designed specifically for dogs, available from the UK brand Canniant. The hemp used is sourced from the USA and the product is totally THC free, but looking at the lab reports (we're delighted to have those available to view) we can see that this is a broad spectrum oil with some other cannabinoids included like CBC. This is definitely a solid product and a good CBD oil to give to your dogs.
Pawsome
At the moment this CBD oil for dogs is only available via Amazon here in the UK, so actually when you look at the listing on Amazon it doesn't mention 'CBD' anywhere. It's listed as a hemp oil but we're pretty sure it must have traces of CBD in it, even though it mentions in the description that it has no CBD or THC. This is a seriously popular product on Amazon and is currently sitting with a 4.4 out of 5 rating from over 1300 reviews. Reviewers seem really happy with the product and the impact it has had on their pets. There is actually a reviewer that has included a picture of their happy dog too, it's worth visiting the page for that reason alone!
CBDfx bacon flavoured CBD oil
Currently you can only grab this CBD oil for dogs if you're based in the US, but we thought we'd include it because it looks so awesome. It's a broad spectrum CBD oil made with non-GMO, organic hemp from The States. Even thought this oil is bacon flavoured, it's actually vegan. So if your dog is on a vegan diet then this is an ideal option.
This guide was published by the CBD Bible team. We publish hundreds of guides every month, feel free to explore our website for more reviews and CBD guides.
