CBD or cannabidiol is a substance derived from hemp and devoid of narcotic action. In humans, it is known to reduce the harmful effects of stress .

What about our companions? A recent study¹ on dogs , published in Frontiers in veterinary sciences in February 2023, highlighted a positive effect on stress markers of a single dose of CBD during anxiety-provoking situations such as a car trip or separation from the owner.

 

The dog: an animal sensitive to stress

Just like humans, dogs have to deal with stressful situations, which they will manage with varying degrees of success depending on their genetics, their upbringing and their environment. Some animals will show deep stress at the slightest setback, while others will barely raise an eyelid… On the other hand, while anxiety is quite common in dogs, it can sometimes go unnoticed if the animal is constantly with its owner and leads a “normal” life.

High intensity or chronic stress can lead to psychological as well as physical disorders, such as a weakening of the immune system.

In addition to the discomfort the dog feels, signs of stress can be particularly annoying: barking (poor neighbors), destruction (poor sofa) or uncleanliness (poor parquet floor). They can sometimes even lead to abandonment when the situation becomes inextricable.

Treating anxiety in dogs requires the care of a veterinary behaviorist who will often prescribe treatment with psychotropic drugs such as fluoxetine or clomipramine. This type of medication must be administered over long periods of time and only takes effect after 2 to 3 weeks after initiating treatment. In addition, they can be accompanied by annoying side effects. In less severe cases, or in situations of occasional stress ( fireworks for example), many owners would like to turn to more natural aids such as cannabidiol or CBD.

A recent English study looked at the effect of CBD on two types of anxiety-provoking situations frequently encountered by our companions in everyday life.

 

Two situations that put dogs at risk of stress

The authors of the article identified two potentially stressful situations for our dogs:

Separation from the caretaker or other dogs
Car trips
Scientists explain separation stress by the fact that dogs are social and sensitive animals that create close bonds with their humans and their peers. In the event of separation from these people or dogs, they may show different signs of stress. The authors also point out that separation anxiety accounts for 50% of consultations with canine behaviorists.

Car travel is another risky situation. One in four dogs hates the car. Stress is linked to the many unusual stimuli (visual and auditory) and perhaps in some cases to car sickness. A dog that is uncomfortable in a car will usually start panting, drooling, crying or even moving around in all directions… which can be very disturbing for the driver and is not without danger.

Currently, different studies have reported good tolerance of CBD in dogs and effectiveness on pain in canine osteoarthritis , but few have been conducted on stress management.

In this new study published in February 2023, the British researchers had 2 objectives:

To understand the impact of a separation event and car travel on canine stress, using a combination of subjective and objective measures.
To evaluate the effect of a single dose of CBD (without THC) on canine stress measures during these two events.

 

40 dogs enrolled in this CBD study

For this English study, 40 animals from the Waltham Petcare Science Institute were selected. The batch included 22 males and 18 females including 17 Labrador Retrievers, 8 Beagles, and 15 Norfolk Terriers aged 1 to 9 years. The dogs were housed in pairs in boxes with access to the outside.

21 dogs were then sent to the “separation” group and 19 to the “car travel” group.

In each group, the dogs were then randomly assigned to 2 other groups, one receiving a single dose of CBD (dosed at 4 mg/kg) before the stress , the other receiving a placebo. The caregivers administering the treatment and observing the test dogs were unaware of who received cannabidiol and who received the placebo.

On the day of the experiment, the dogs received either CBD or the placebo with their morning meal. The CBD used was derived from a hemp-based distillate diluted in sunflower oil and packaged in a soft capsule, itself hidden in a palatable pill. The researchers then filmed the animals and analyses (temperature, blood test and heart rate) were conducted.

Two hours after taking CBD or placebo, each dog in the “car trip” group was transported for 10 minutes in a Ford S-Max. The animals were placed in a cage. During the journey, the dog’s behavior was recorded by 2 cameras. The driver was required to remain silent and monitored the dog through the central rearview mirror.

The “separation” canines were left alone in a familiar room for 45 minutes. The room was furnished with a mattress pad, a cardboard box, a bowl of water, a dog bed, a crate and toys. The dog was filmed and monitored by an assistant using the video system.

At the end of the 2 experiments, a blood and temperature test was carried out again.

The analysis of the results focused on observing the dogs’ behavior and collecting biological parameters : body temperature, blood levels of cortisol, immunoglobulin A and glucose, and heart rate, as increases in these constants could be linked to stress.

Each dog’s behavior was carefully examined before and during (via video) the separation or transport experiment. Each session was then scored by observers (who did not know whether the filmed dog had received CBD or a placebo). These examiners had extensive knowledge of canine ethology. Attitudes (nervous, lethargic, fearful, sad, agitated, relaxed, etc.) and actions (whining, panting, vomiting, yawning , playing, etc.) were taken into account for the final score.

 

Effect of CBD on stress in dogs

Without (much) surprise, separation and car travel proved to be stressful situations for dogs , especially for the journey. However, the researchers point out a bias: the animals used for this study (laboratory dogs) are less familiar with cars than pet dogs often transported by their owners, which could explain this higher stress score than for separation during this test.

The study determined that a single dose of CBD at 4 mg/kg influences certain behavioral and physiological parameters in dogs following exposure to the two stressful situations examined.

• During the car ride, CBD-treated dogs were rated as significantly less “sad” and also had a smaller decrease in “relaxed” ratings compared to placebo-treated dogs. Dogs that received the CBD treatment also had significantly lower serum cortisol concentrations than dogs that received a placebo.
• During separation, dogs that received CBD were rated as significantly less “stressed,” “sad,” “tense,” and “uncomfortable,” and more “exploratory” than dogs that received the placebo. These animals on cannabidiol also whined less, sat less, and moved more when left alone in the room. According to the scientists, dogs treated with CBD were more relaxed than their placebo counterparts during the separation test. No significant changes in biological parameters were observed before, during, and after the experiment.

“The results obtained from this study suggest that separation and car travel are stressful events for dogs, with car travel eliciting a more pronounced stress response. Furthermore, a single dose of 4 mg/kg CBD 2 h before exposure to these events attenuated some indicators of acute canine stress , which may improve canine emotional well-being,” conclude the authors of this study, conducted in parallel with another study on the long-term safety of CBD in dogs.

However, we can regret the small size of the sample (only 20 dogs per group) and that no blood cannabidiol dosage was carried out.

This promising study will need to be supplemented with additional research to better understand the effect of CBD at other dosages, formulations, and whether cumulative administration improves efficacy.