The science is clear when it comes to how long CBD stays in the human system, but what about dogs?
How long does CBD stay in a dog’s system before it is flushed out?
With CBD on the rise among pet parents, it’s natural for them to be concerned about potential drug interactions, overdose risk, and general side effects.
Many dogs benefit from CBD’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, so in this article, we’ll help you learn how long CBD stays in the body so you can use it safely with your pup.
How long does CBD last in a dog’s system?
When trying to determine how long CBD stays in your system, you need to look at CBD’s half-life.
Half-life is the time required for the concentration of a given compound to be reduced to half of its initial dose.
Drug half-lives are important to physicians and manufacturers because they help establish optimal dosing and predict potential interactions with other substances.
If you want to give your dog a form of CBD that will help throughout the day, you’ll need a product with an estimated half-life of at least 12 hours.
According to a study in The Journal of Medical Chemistry, a short half-life may require more frequent dosing to maintain the therapeutic effect and avoid excessive concentrations of the substance.
On the contrary, a long half-life means prolonged accumulation and subsequent elimination; in simple words, the substance is constantly working in the body.
The half-life of CBD in humans is 18 to 32 hours, so CBD can stay with you for up to a day and a half.
This applies to oral forms of CBD. Other methods of administration may offer a shorter half-life.
Your body’s ability to metabolize CBD depends on several factors, including age, your individual metabolic rate, the severity of the symptoms you’re treating, and previous experience with CBD.
In some studies, CBD demonstrated a half-life of up to nine hours, while others found that it can stay in the body for up to 5 days. However, most evidence points to a full 24-hour cycle as a general benchmark.
Those are the numbers for humans, but what about dogs? How long does CBD stay in a dog’s system?
The evidence is modest in this regard, meaning the numbers are inconclusive. However, since CBD interacts with dogs through the same biological network (the endocannabinoid system), you can expect a similar time frame. Dogs have faster metabolisms than we do, so it should take a day or less for your friend to run out of CBD.
In an older study from Israel, researchers found that the half-life of CBD in dogs was 9 hours. However, in a more recent study conducted in 2018 and published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, this figure is just over four hours for our canine friends.
Studies versus anecdotal evidence
Science only tells us one side of the story. In real life, how long CBD stays in your dog’s system can vary between different breeds and their metabolism.
It seems that for most pet owners, an average life of eight hours is standard. This involves giving one or two doses of CBD per day. The amount of CBD oil, when you give it, and the type of CBD will determine its half-life and effectiveness.
If you want to maintain consistent concentrations of CBD in your dog’s system, opt for smaller doses applied twice daily. Treatment of specific diseases may require a more potent single daily dose.
Factors that affect how long CBD stays in a dog’s body
Every breed of dog has different genetics, so how long CBD will stay in your dog’s system is affected by many factors. It can be difficult to determine how much and how often you should give your dog CBD oil right away.
How long CBD lasts in a dog’s system depends on the following:
- weight
- Metabolism
- diet
- CBD dosage frequency
- Your dog’s unique body chemistry
- Level of physical activity
Although giving CBD oil to your dog may seem complicated at first, it only takes a little experimentation until it becomes second nature. You’ll know you’ve found the optimal amount when your dog shows signs of relief from his ailments.
How CBD works in your dog’s body
Dogs generally have no problem tolerating CBD, and dog parents report very few side effects.
CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a complex neurochemical network that regulates functions such as mood, memory, sleep, appetite, pain, and more.
CBD is a great choice for a dog if you want to:
- Improve gut health: CBD contributes to a healthy tummy, so if your dog suffers from occasional upset stomachs, CBD can improve gut motility, curb inflammation and reduce discomfort.
- Cognition support: CBD improves cognitive function in dogs by providing cannabinoids, terpenes and essential fatty acids from hemp extract and carrier oil.
- Protect the joints: you want your dog to stay mobile and happy for as long as possible. CBD helps your dog’s joints and maintain mobility in addition to reducing pain and helping to remineralize bones.
- Release stress: dogs are often exposed to stressful stimuli in their environment. CBD provides calming benefits for stressed and anxious dogs by increasing their natural levels of endocannabinoids (anandamide).
How often should you give your dog CBD?
Now that you know how long CBD stays in a dog’s system, you may want to know how often and how much CBD oil you should be giving your four-legged friend.
The general consensus is that you should start with 0.2-0.5 mg of CBD per pound of body weight. These doses are well tolerated and effective in smaller dogs, but can also be a good reference for larger breeds; you can make the necessary adjustments.
As mentioned above, regular supplementation works best when split into two doses. If you are giving your dog CBD oil for general well-being, use its optimal dose twice a day, at 8-hour intervals.
But if you want to treat a specific symptom, you may need to use a stronger dose and repeat as needed.
How long does CBD last in dogs?
If you give your dog CBD oil for pain, anxiety and sleep, the effects should be felt within 15-20 minutes of administration.
They peak after 1.5 hours, and after 6 hours they should be gone.
Oral forms of CBD, such as capsules or dog treats, take longer to kick in (40 minutes to 2 hours), but when they do, they last longer, up to 10 hours. This is because CBD is gradually released from the liver.
Is CBD safe for dogs?
CBD oil is safe and well tolerated by dogs. Of course, side effects can occur, but they are mild, with sedation and diarrhea being the most common.
Many pet parents give their dogs CBD oil daily or even three times a day, depending on their needs. Talk to a CBD-friendly vet for professional dosage advice.
Most CBD oils come with a minimal amount (0.3% or less) of THC, the cannabinoid responsible for marijuana’s intoxication. While this may raise safety concerns, such low amounts are not enough to produce a high, even in a small dog.
Key considerations for how long CBD stays in a dog’s system
The duration of most substances, including CBD, is measured in half-lives. This is the time it takes for a substance to be reduced by half in the bloodstream.
For humans, the half-life of CBD is about 24 hours. The faster you get CBD into your bloodstream, the sooner it will leave your system.
Because dogs have a faster metabolism than humans, CBD may last a shorter time in their system; Many parents use an eight-hour dosing schedule, but you should closely monitor your dog’s behavior after each dose to adjust the amount of CBD and frequency.
If you’re not sure how much and how often you should give your dog CBD oil, ask your vet about the half-life of CBD. They should be able to point you in the right direction.
