If you’ve researched CBD products for your dogs or cats lately, you’ve probably seen the plethora of products made specifically for pets. We even have our own line of CBD products for pets.
But are all these products really necessary? Can’t you just give your dog human CBD products?
Yes and no. While many CBD products made for humans are also safe for dogs, some aren’t. You can often give your dog human CBD, and it will work perfectly fine.
But some human CBD products contain ingredients that are unsafe for animals, and opting for a pet CBD product means you don’t need to worry about these ingredients being present. Additionally, pet CBD products are typically made with ingredients that are healthier for dogs and cats.
In this article, we’ll be answering common questions about giving your dog human CBD.
Can You Give Your Dog Human CBD?
Human CBD products are safe for your dog as long as they don’t contain significant amounts of THC (0.3%>) and don’t contain harmful ingredients like xylitol, essential oils, or cocoa beans.
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener commonly used in sugar-free products, such as sugar-free CBD gummies. It’s safe for humans, but toxic for dogs.
Essential oils, such as lavender and peppermint, are not safe to consume for humans or animals, but are often used topically for their soothing properties. Therefore, you may find them in certain CBD topicals, like salves or creams.
Lavender and chamomile oil are safe for topical use with your dog, but oils like cinnamon or clove may irritate your dog’s skin. Therefore, if you have a CBD topical containing these ingredients, don’t use it with your dog.
As cocoa beans are toxic to dogs, CBD chocolate and chocolate candy are not safe to give your dog.
Can you give your dog human CBD oil?
Yes, most forms of human CBD oil are completely safe for dogs as long as they do not contain xylitol (artificial sweetener) or THC beyond the amount that occurs in hemp-derived full-spectrum CBD (less than 0.3%).
While human CBD oil is typically safe for dogs, though, using a CBD oil that’s been formulated for pets may make it easier to administer.
Pet CBD oils are commonly flavored with bacon, chicken, or peanut butter to make them more enticing to dogs and cats.
Can you give your dog human CBD gummies?
You can give your dog CBD gummies as long as they do not contain xylitol.
However, CBD gummies are often high in sugar, so while they are technically safe for dogs, we don’t recommend giving them to your dog. Instead, opt for healthier CBD pet treats made with real meat and minimal grains.
All of this to say, if your dog gets hold of a CBD gummy, they’ll be fine; just don’t give them CBD gummies regularly.
Dog vs. Human CBD: What Are the Differences?
To determine whether you should give your dog the CBD product you’re using or buy a product made specifically for pets, it helps to consider the common differences between human and pet CBD products and why these differences exist.
Flavoring
Human CBD products typically feature fruit flavors (in gummies and sometimes in oil) and may also contain sugar (primarily in CBD edibles, but also occasionally in CBD oil).
Pet CBD products are usually made with flavors that are appealing to dogs, like beef, chicken, salmon, pork, or peanut butter.
This flavoring can either come from the main ingredients in the product (e.g. beef in CBD treats), while in other cases, the flavoring is added to make the main product more appealing (e.g. chicken-flavored CBD oil).
Hemp has a slightly bitter flavor, so choosing CBD pet products with dog-friendly flavors makes it much easier for you to give your dog CBD on a regular basis.
THC content
Full-spectrum CBD, which contains up to 0.3% THC, is the type of CBD extract typically used in both human and pet products.
This amount of THC isn’t enough to create a high effect or be inebriating in any way, nor will it induce the side effects of THC. In fact, it may contribute to the benefits of CBD for both humans and animals.
However, many CBD products made for humans contain THC in larger amounts that are capable of producing a high, which is often desirable for humans.
But THC won’t create a high for dogs. Instead, it will induce a variety of negative side effects such as ataxia (clumsiness and loss of movement control), pupil dilation, tremors, and seizures.
Therefore, CBD pet products don’t tend to contain large amounts of THC relative to CBD. Higher-THC CBD:THC ratios, while beneficial for humans, aren’t good for dogs.
Xylitol content
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that’s often used in place of sugar to make sugar-free products, including sugar-free CBD gummies.
While safe for humans, xylitol isn’t safe for dogs. Therefore, CBD products designed for pets will not contain this ingredient.
What to Look for in Pet CBD Products
Here’s what to look for when shopping for pet CBD products:
Minimal THC content
In larger amounts, THC has many potential benefits for humans. But the same isn’t true for dogs, who will instead experience negative side effects, such as ataxia (clumsiness and loss of movement control), pupil dilation, tremors, and seizures.
Because of this, any pet product you buy needs to contain very small amounts of THC or none at all. Hemp-derived full-spectrum CBD won’t contain more than 0.3% THC, and is therefore safe and beneficial for dogs to consume.
No harmful ingredients
As we’ve learned, many ingredients that are in human CBD products, both oral (xylitol, cocoa beans) and topical (some essential oils) are harmful for dogs.
Therefore, any CBD product you select for your pet should be free of these ingredients. With rare exception, pet products won’t contain these ingredients – but it’s still important to check.
3rd-party lab testing
To verify that a CBD pet product is free of large amounts of THC and harmful ingredients, you need to select a product that’s been 3rd-party lab tested and proven through this testiing to be safe.
If a product isn’t 3rd-party lab tested, or is lab tested and shows higher THC levels than it should, do not buy it.
Conclusion: Pet CBD Products Are a Safer Bet
While many types of human CBD products are safe for dogs, your best bet will be to purchase a product made specifically for pets.
If you’re already got a CBD product and it’s safe, based on the information in this article, then give it to your dog.
But if you’re starting from the beginning, choosing a pet-specific product offers your dog the best chance of getting good results from CBD.
Can You Give Your Dog Human CBD: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions our customers frequently ask us about human CBD and dogs.
Can I use human CBD on dogs?
Human CBD products are safe for dogs as long as they do not contain xylitol, cocoa beans, or essential oils. However, choosing a pet-specific product means these ingredients won’t be present in the first place.
Is there a difference between pet CBD and human CBD?
The main differences between pet CBD and human CBD are THC content (human products often have more THC) and presence of certain ingredients (pet products won’t contain xylitol, essential oils, or cocoa beans).
Can you give dogs CBD oil to calm them down?
Yes, CBD may promote mental calming and relaxation for your pup.
Why is pet CBD so expensive?
Some companies’ CBD pet products are expensive because they market them as being substantially different from human CBD pet products, and therefore worth a premium. In reality, the majority of the time, pet CBD products aren’t significantly more expensive to produce than human CBD products. If a pet product is more expensive than a comparable human product, don’t buy it.
