There are a wide variety of health conditions which CBD oil can be used to treat in your dog.

It may not surprise you to learn that many of these are the same health conditions which humans take CBD oil to treat in themselves

Here is a quick list for your reference:

Let’s take a more detailed look at a few of these.

1. Arthritis and Joint Pain

It’s only natural for me to discuss using CBD oil to treat joint pain and stiffness in pets first, as this is the area where I have the most personal experience.

My own dog, Big Nellie, has been living with joint pain in her back hips since she was about two years old. My wife even claims she noticed her having pain around the 8 month mark although we chalked that up to growing pains and puppy power.

We’d tried a number of different approaches to managing her pain before we decided to give CBD oil a try.

It turns out there is already scientific research which backs up the use of CBD oil for arthritis and joint pain in dogs.

This study for example found that when dogs with osteoarthritis were given 2 mg/kg of CBD two times a day, that dosage was able to boost both their comfort levels and their levels of activity. Additionally, there were no side effects reported.

We’ve been giving Big Nellie CBD oil whenever we notice that she appears to be in pain from her joint issues.

She’s responded really well to the treatment. It’s made a big difference in her pain levels, and seems to also have helped her mood. She’s more active and engaged, and the treatment is fast-acting when we administer it.

Big Nellie hasn’t had any side effects from the CBD oil either, which is a huge plus. Other treatments we’d tried in the past not only were less effective, but she also didn’t tolerate them well.

It’s been a relief to see her back to her old self. So based on her experiences with CBD oil as well as the research I’ve found, I can definitely give it a high recommendation for arthritis and joint pain in dogs.

Key Takeaway: Dogs suffering from joint pain or loss of mobility may experience improvements when given CBD oil.

2. Neuropathic Pain

CBD oil can treat other types of pain in dogs and cats as well.

This paper reports, “Cannabinoids have an analgesic effect on neuropathic pain in rodent models (thought to be mediated via the CB1 and CB2 receptors) in addition to other receptors, such as transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1). Secondary to nerve injury, cannabinoid induced antinociception is more effective in alleviating pain than opioid drugs by suppressing wind up and noxious stimulus induced central sensitization (Hohmann 2006).”

The words “more effective than opioid drugs” here really stand out. The reason it is believed that this is the case is that damaged nerve tissue may have fewer opioid receptors available to help modulate pain, but the CB1R receptors are still available.

Key Takeaway: CBD oil may help to alleviate neuropathic pain well, and in certain contexts, may even do so more effectively than opioid medications.

3. Reduce Seizures – Epilepsy

You may be aware that CBD oil is sometimes used to treat epilepsy in humans. Did you know it can potentially help to thwart seizures in dogs as well?

The same paper referenced previously says, “Experimentally, CBD attenuates experimentally-induced seizures in animals.” Furthermore, CBD has neuroprotective effects.

Another paper also mentions, “Unrelated to direct effects at CB1, CBD acts as anti-convulsant in animal models of induced epilepsy (27, 28). A pilot study shows that CBD might mitigate naturally occurring epilepsy in dogs (2).”

Key Takeaway: If your dog suffers from epilepsy, CBD may help to stave off seizures while providing additional neuroprotective benefits.

4. Atopic Dermatitis – Skin Issues

If your dog has flares of dermatitis in response to allergies, you should not be surprised—this is a very prevalent issue.

Indeed, PetMD states, “This is the second most common allergic skin disease in dogs.”

Atopic dermatitis can show up in dogs as young as 3 months old. It is also common for it to begin anytime leading up to 6 years old.

Ideally, you would be able to remove the allergen from your pet’s life in order to prevent symptoms.


This may not be feasible, however, as atopic dermatitis can present in reaction to extremely common substances such as dust mites and grass.  Chances are that your dog will come into contact with those substances frequently no matter what you do.

Thankfully, this is something else you can potentially treat with the help of CBD oil. According to this research, “Data are lacking on CBD in canine atopic dermatitis. Oral palmityl ethanolamine, an endocannabinoid, reduced the inflammatory response in Ascaris hypersensitive dogs (25).”

So while more research is needed to establish for certain whether CBD can reduce dermatitis symptoms in canines, there does seem to be reason for optimism. It also seems to make sense logically that by reducing inflammation, dermatitis symptoms could be lessened.

Key Takeaway: Some initial evidence suggests that CBD supplementation could reduce dermatitis symptoms in dogs, but more research is needed.

5. Prevent or Treat Diabetes

According to this paper, “CBD inhibits development of diabetes in experimental models of diabetes in mice. Reduction of pancreatic inflammation and antioxidant effects are credited with this benefit.”

While mice are obviously not dogs, the fact that there is already animal research supporting the use of CBD to combat diabetes is a good indication that it may be effective for this use in canines as well.

Key Takeaway: If you’re in search of a natural treatment or preventative for canine diabetes, it’s worth considering trying out CBD oil.

6. Fight cancer

Dogs, like humans, are susceptible to cancer, and it can be equally challenging to fight. CBD oil may be a useful weapon in your arsenal.

The same research quoted above states, “Many of the cannabinoids have antiapoptotic effects and reduce neoplastic proliferation in selected tumor cell lines. Anecdotal reports from both human and veterinary patients indicate the potential for complete remission and possibly even cure of a number of different neoplastic diseases.”

Key Takeaway: There’s some research right now showing that CBD may be effective as a treatment for cancer.

Research on Health Benefits of CBD for Dogs is Still in the Early Stages, But Growing

As of right now, the body of scientific research into the health benefits of CBD in general is still not all that large or comprehensive, even for humans. There is even less research available on the health benefits for canines.

But there is a large amount of anecdotal data out there, and growing interest in the scientific community regarding the health benefits of CBD.

Since I have had great experiences so far treating Big Nellie’s joint pain with CBD oil for dogs, it is a high priority for me to keep an eye on research developments as they are being made.

So be sure to drop by and check on this page regularly. As new research-based data emerges, I will update this page to reflect the latest findings.

Key Takeaway: Research into the health benefits of CBD for humans, dogs and cats is growing slowly but surely. Check back at this page for updates as new developments unfold.

You are probably aware of some of CBD oil’s research-backed benefits for your health. CBD oil can help to combat inflammation and pain while improving mood and sleep quality. It also can be used to treat epilepsy, nausea, MS, and other health conditions.

  • But did you know that CBD oil is good for your dog as well?

Like You, Your Dog Has an Endocannabinoid System

Like humans, dogs have a set of endogenous cannabinoid receptors known collectively as the “endocannabinoid system” (sometimes referred to simply as “ECS”).

The reason CBD oil can benefit your pet is the same reason it can benefit you.

Cats have an endocannabinoid system as well.

The ECS has a number of jobs in the body. It helps to regulate pain, sleep, mood, appetite, memory, and more.

These ECS receptors are found in the brain and also run throughout the peripheral nervous system.

The ECS is able to make use of both endogenous cannabinoids (those manufactured within the body) and exogenous cannabinoids (those taken in through supplementation or hemp/cbd/marijuana use).

In the body, CBD oil is able to act on adenosine receptors as well as TRPV-1 and 5-HT1A.

This helps to regulate neurotransmitter levels while also curbing pain and inflammation.

This explains on a basic level why taking CBD oil has health benefits for humans, dogs, and cats.

Key Takeaway: Your dog has an endocannabinoid system, just like you do. Both endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids can act through this system to help regulate pain, sleep, mood, and more. That means that taking CBD oil may help your pet out in a variety of ways.


Conclusion: CBD Oil Can Treat Many Health Conditions in Dogs Safely, Naturally and Effectively

Just as CBD oil can have powerful health benefits for humans, it can enhance health and quality of life for your dog or cat as well.

Since we started giving our dog Big Nellie CBD oil, it has been a game-changer. She has been in a lot less pain, and she’s been much happier too.

If your dog has any of the health issues which I went over in this article, I highly recommend that you give CBD oil a try.

We were blown away by how quickly it helped Big Nellie, and I think you’ll be equally thrilled when you discover what it can do for your dog.

Still have questions about CBD oil for dogs, or need recommendations for products to try? Explore the rest of the articles on my site to find the answers you are looking for. Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy the health benefits of CBD for your dog!


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