Answered by Dr. Christina Chambreau

CBD is absolutely a viable alternative to treat pets for anxiety. Conventional treatments usually include drugs, some of which can make a difference, especially if it’s just a temporary type of problem, but often pets are put on these drugs for a long time. 

Anxiety can be helped by many many many different holistic approaches like Flower Essences, essential oils, and the Tellington TTouch. However, one of the best holistic approaches is using CBD to treat pet anxiety. Now, here’s an important piece. CBD is cannabis, hemp, and some people call it marijuana but CBD is not marijuana. Marijuana contains THC which is the hallucinating part of it. You do not want a cannabis product that has more than .03% of THC in it. All hemp has some THC but you want to make sure you avoid THC. Never give your pets marijuana or smoke marijuana around them because it can have lethal effects on some pets who are sensitive to it. 

Now, healthy dogs will have an endocannabinoid system that prevents anxiety naturally in the body. Until your pet becomes healthy enough to be producing its normal endocannabinoids, CBD can definitely be an option although it often is temporary.

The other thing about CBD is the dosages can vary. So, if you try a CBD product made for dogs, which I suggest getting that kind, you want to have a product that is high quality. You want a product that is organic and that has been CO2 extracted. Follow the dosage instructions on the bottle, pay attention to how your dog is responding to it, and increase the dosage if you need to. It’s also important to try to give it before there are thunderstorms, noises, or things that cause your dog anxiety and see how they respond to it. Maybe make a little noise or whatever usually triggers them and then repeat it when you’re having the issues. You may need to give it a week or two before the 4th of July, for instance, if that’s the only problem. 

There has been a lot of testing in laboratories for people about anxiety with very good results. There’s very little to know about anxiety for dogs from testing but there is a lot of anecdotal information and success stories with it.

I’m Dr. Christina Chambreau. I’m a licensed veterinarian and I’m with Holistic Actions! where you can find out a lot more about pet anxiety. Hope to see you.

Suggested Treatments: 

• Drugs
• CBD
• Tellington T-touch

Related Symptoms: 

• Whining, crying
• Destroying things in your home
• Hiding

DISCLAIMER: Holistic Actions! does not provide advice on certified medical treatments. Content is intended for informational purposes only and to equip you with the tools needed for Holistic Medical Decision Making (HMDM). It is not a substitute for clinical assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Never use content found on the Holistic Actions! website as the basis for ignoring advice from your veterinarian to seek treatment. If you think you may have a veterinary emergency, please call your vet or an animal hospital immediately.

Dr. Christina

Christina Chambreau, DVM, is an internationally known homeopathic veterinarian and associate editor of the Integrative Veterinary Care Journal, she’s written several books on animal healthcare.

After opening her own homeopathy veterinary practice in 1983, she founded the Academy Of Veterinary Homeopathy and was on the faculty of the National Center for Homeopathy Summer School for ten years.

Dr. Christina is also an integrative medicine adjunct faculty liaison for the Maryland Veterinary Technician Program and lectures on a wide array of topics including integrating holistic options into veterinary practices, as well as guidance on how to choose the best approaches to heal animals and sustainability.