DENVER — Kristy Rosenberger swears by cannabidiol — more commonly known as CBD — not for herself, but for her dogs.
Rosenberger was first introduced to CBD more than a decade ago when searching for something to help her dog, Punkie, who was anxious and epileptic. When thunderstorms rolled through, the Yorkie would whimper and shake. Rosenberger was afraid her behavior might trigger a seizure.
Punkie’s neurologist recommended giving her CBD in combination with the dog’s seizure medication to sooth her symptoms. Rosenberger thought it couldn’t hurt to try, but was genuinely surprised when she noticed behavioral changes.
“When I started giving her the CBD oil, she was not reactive to those things,” the Thornton resident said. “I was like, ‘This is awesome.’”
Though Punkie has since passed, Rosenberger still uses CBD to treat another dog. Her 4-year-old rescue, Cherish, was previously abused and is terrified of loud noises. If there are storms or holiday fireworks in the forecast, Rosenberger will put drops of CBD oil in her food up to a week in advance, which makes the blue heeler calmer, less reactive and less playful, her owner said.
The market for CBD pet products has exploded in recent years as cannabis has become both legalized and normalized across the United States. A 2021 report from Brightfield Group estimated the market would reach $629 million in sales , driven primarily by people seeking out alternative treatments for their dogs’ anxiety. While the perceived benefits are often shared anecdotally among pet owners, local researchers who have studied the effects of CBD on man’s best friend say there are merits to their claims — with some caveats about the specific product and how it’s administered.
“
“Some dogs seem to respond well — it’s very calming, and it can help with pain and quality of life overall. And some dogs, to be totally honest, I don’t see really any benefits,
even at higher dosages.”
– Dr. Steph McGrath, veterinary neurologist Dr. Steph McGrath, a veterinary neurologist and an associate professor at Colorado State University, has been studying the effects of CBD in dogs since 2015, when the […]
Why vets recommend CBD to treat dogs with chronic pain and anxiety
