How to Safely Dose CBD for Pets: Quality & Safety Guide
Full Spectrum CBD is safe and non-intoxicating for dogs and cats. Our recommended starting dose is 1-3mg per 10lbs of body weight. Earth Buddy's CBD is grown on an organic Colorado hemp farm, extracted using subcritical CO2 or mechanical CBD kief separation, and tested by third-party labs for potency, heavy metals, pesticides, mold, and residual solvents. All products contain less than 0.3% THC. For puppies and kittens under 1 year old, use extremely low doses or consult a holistic vet first.
Is CBD Safe for Dogs and Cats?
At Earth Buddy, our main objective is to create safe products for your pets! From meticulously sourcing our ingredients to testing our finished products using third-party labs, we use extra precaution and care every step of the way. Your pet is family to you, and family deserves the best!
Cannabis for Pets Convo
EP 1 - A Veterinary Perspective
Will CBD Get My Pet High? Understanding Non-Intoxicating Hemp
When considering hemp-derived cannabidiol or CBD for dogs & cats, one of the major concerns for pet parents is if it will get your pet “high.” In truth, CBD is a non-intoxicating, non-habit forming antioxidant for the body. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the active compound found in marijuana), CBD for dogs & cats is not intoxicating.
CBD for your dog or cat will provide the relaxation without intoxication. CBD for dogs and cats is a promising treatment for a number of medical conditions and has been deemed safe by the WHO and other health organizations.
Third-Party Lab Testing: How Earth Buddy Ensures CBD Safety and Quality
One of the main indicators of the CBD oil for dogs & cats you are considering is safe, is whether or not the pet CBD company is transparent with their 3rd-party lab testing.
We test our raw botanical extracts for the following: Potency (Cannabinoids, Terpenes); Heavy Metals; Pesticides; Mold, Mildew, and Mycotoxins; and Residual Chemical Solvents. We take this a step further and require COA's (certificate of analysis) from all of our raw ingredient suppliers and do our best to only source USDA Organic certified raw ingredients.
Earth Buddy's Commitment to Quality Hemp
Where Earth Buddy's CBD Comes From: Regenerative Colorado Hemp
When choosing a CBD Oil for dogs or cats, pet parents should know where a product’s cannabis plant originates from.
At Earth Buddy, all of the hemp used in our products is grown outdoors in Colorado, under the guidelines of the Department of Agriculture and complies with the 0.3% or less THC limit.
- We use rigorous, organic standards, never spraying our plants with pesticides.
- We test our crop regularly for purity and potency.
- Our water is sourced from glacial melt from the Rocky Mountains, so our plants always receive clean water.
- We use regenerative farming methods along with aquaponic irrigation.
To ensure we produce a potent and healthy plant, we only grow to scale on four acres of land. Because of this, our crop does not require harsh interventions typically used by larger farm operations, including pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, and other chemical applications.
We hand harvest and hang-dry our plants in a temperature-controlled facility to ensure that the quality and purity of our hemp is preserved. We extract CBD from hemp using subcritical Co2, that yields other cannabinoids, to create a concentrated form consumable for humans (and pets!).
Our farm also doubles as a Hemp Research & Development site, run by professionals with PhDs in Evolutionary Biology and Biochemistry. Our research team leads the industry by producing and studying the latest in plant science and plant medicine for pets and people.
Small-Batch, Colorado Grown: Earth Buddy's Approach to Full Spectrum CBD Quality
Plant quality matters and Earth Buddy believes in taking a true small-batch approach by using strict organic cultivation practices driven by science and innovation. We grow single origin hemp, which allows us to NEVER sacrifice quality. Opposite of commodity based CBD pet products, which primary focus is lowering cost, we use quality of the plants as the driving factor in our sourcing.
The organic hemp used in Earth Buddy products is grown outdoors in the Colorado sun at an elevation of 5,000 feet above sea level. By using a process called subcritical CO2 extraction for our various hemp extracts or mechanically separating hemp trichomes to form CBD Kief, we are able to extract a wide and varying spectrum of cannabinoids, fats, lipids and terpenes.
Earth Buddy believes in the “Entourage Effect” theorizing that a mix of cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes contribute to an overall superior therapeutic effect compared to single-molecule cannabinoid therapies, like CBD Isolate.
Recent research has been conducted to support this hypothesis - showing that full spectrum CBD oil containing other cannabinoids and terpenes outperform Pet CBD Isolate products. This speaks to our commitment to CBD quality while ensuring our customers Earth Buddy tests every pet CBD product with independent labs for purity and potency.
All of the Organic Hemp Extract used in Earth Buddy Pet supplements is grown under the guidelines of the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp Program. This means that all of our products have less than 0.3% THC and are non-intoxicating.
Pet CBD Philosophy
At Earth Buddy our goal is to provide locally sourced, minimally processed natural pet supplements that will allow your pet to thrive. In a world where most CBD pet products are highly processed, our focus is the opposite by allowing Mother Nature to provide the benefits to your furry friends.
Our hemp plants produce hundreds of bioactive compounds that work synergistically. We do not use ethanol, butane, or other harsh solvents to extract. By preserving our full spectrum hemp extracts with subcritical Co2, our natural remedies will offer the safest and most effective pet supplements in the world.
How to Dose CBD for Dogs and Cats: Earth Buddy's Dosing Philosophy
How to Start Using CBD for Dogs & Cats
Our philosophy on CBD dosage is very clear and simple: "The optimal CBD dosage for dogs and cats is the minimal dosage required to illicit the desired response with a minimal side effect profile."
We believe in administering the minimum CBD dose for dogs and cats because that is the whole point of a botanical extract. Botanical medicine is used with goal of using a small amount and if we achieve the desired response without side effects there is no reason to add an additional risk to your pet.
Pet CBD is Individualized
The ultimate goal of our recommended CBD dosage for dogs and cats is to achieve a minimal effective dose. Every dog is a little different, so results may vary with age, breed, size, and predisposition.
We base all of our recommended cat or dog CBD dosages on the weight of the animal. That said, we feel that full spectrum Hemp Extracts are an individualized pet supplement and have to be monitored on an “as needed” basis.
CBD for Puppies & Kittens
Puppies & kittens typically have a healthy ECS (Endocannabinoid System), so we suggest refraining or using extremely low dosage in supplementing our full spectrum CBD for cats and dogs under the age of 1 year old.
For more frequently asked questions about how to use CBD oil for dogs and cats, check out our Cat & Dog CBD FAQ Page.
Always consult with a holistic veterinarian if you are unsure.
CBD Dosage Guidelines: Starting Points by Weight
CBD dosage for dogs and cats is not an exact science, as not all CBD pet products are the same. All of our products have Certificates of Analysis by 3rd-party laboratories and we only use full spectrum hemp extracts that will contain high amounts of CBD along with many other naturally occurring hemp compounds (CBDa, CBC, and CBG).
As a general starting point with our pet supplements we recommend the following CBD dosage for dogs and cats, but keep in mind that you know your pet better than us and you can always increase or decrease on an as-needed basis:
1-3mg per 10lbs body weight as a starting dose is our general starting point for pet CBD dosage.
Many studies involving CBD for animals have shown a much higher CBD dose for dogs and cats regarding severe health issues around 1mg per 2.2lbs of body weight. But since we are using full-spectrum CBD Oil for dogs and cats in all of our products we do not think this is an appropriate starting point for most pets.
Recent research conducted by Earth Buddy on whether or not lower CBD oil dosage for relieving signs of stress in dogs and cats showed significant reduction in overall dog stress signals and stressed cats, by using consistently over 21 days.
For a more in-depth conversation on CBD dosage for dogs and cats listen to our founder Sean Zyer and Dr. Casara Andre of Veterinary Cannabis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Earth Buddy recommends starting with 1-3mg of CBD per 10lbs of body weight as a starting dose for dogs. The goal is to find the minimum effective dose - the smallest amount that produces the desired response with minimal side effects. Every dog responds differently based on age, breed, size, and individual predisposition.
Start at the lower end of the range and adjust as needed. For severe health conditions, some research supports doses around 1mg per 2.2lbs of body weight, but consult your vet before using higher doses.
Yes. CBD derived from hemp is non-intoxicating and has been deemed safe by the WHO and other health organizations. Earth Buddy's Hemp products for cats use full-spectrum CBD Oil containing less than 0.3% THC - well below any intoxicating threshold.
For cats, start with a very low dose and adjust gradually. Mix in food or light snack to make the experience enjoyable for your cat. Avoid giving CBD to kittens under 1 year old unless directed by a holistic veterinarian.
Look for three things: third-party lab testing (COA), organic sourcing, and full-spectrum extraction. Earth Buddy tests all products for potency, heavy metals, pesticides, mold, mildew, mycotoxins, and residual chemical solvents. They also require COAs from all raw ingredient suppliers and use USDA Organic certified ingredients wherever possible. Their hemp is grown on a Colorado farm using regenerative, pesticide-free practices and extracted using subcritical CO2 or mechanical kief separation - no chemical solvents.
Yes. Daily CBD supplementation is safe for dogs and cats. Earth Buddy conducted research where pet parents reported significant reduction in stress signals in dogs using CBD consistently over 21 days, suggesting that regular use builds cumulative benefit. Follow the recommended dosage on the product label and consult your vet if your pet has underlying health conditions or is on prescription medications.
Full-spectrum CBD oil for dogs & cats contains the complete range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids found in the hemp plant - including minor cannabinoids like CBC, CBDV, and CBG. CBD isolate contains only pure CBD with all other compounds removed. Earth Buddy uses full-spectrum hemp extract exclusively because research supports the "Entourage Effect" - the theory that the full spectrum of compounds produces a superior therapeutic effect compared to isolated single-molecule CBD. Studies show that full-spectrum outperforms isolate for most pet wellness applications.
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