Overdosing on CBD is quite difficult, and even at high doses, it does not cause any severe side effects in most cases. Considering how popular CBD products have become in recent years, it’s no surprise that many dog owners make it a regular part of their pet’s diet.
After all, who doesn’t like a one-treat solution for anxiety, stress, fear, aggression, gut health, appetite, sleep, and fur quality? All CBD for dogs reviews vouch for its effectiveness in holistically improving canine health.
But what if your dog goes behind your back and launches a sneak attack on a whole packet of CBD chews? Or maybe you end up accidentally mixing more than the required CBD Oil in your dog’s meal. It will certainly make you panic and you might end up scaring your pup even more.
Should you go to the vet directly? What side will be the intensity of side effects? Don’t worry, we will answer all your queries so that you can safely make CBD a healthy, safe, and effective part of your dog’s wellness journey.
Can dogs overdose on CBD?
It’s not common for dogs to overdose on CBD. CBD is completely intoxicating and doesn’t produce any psychoactive effects like THC. Most pet CBD products come with Zero THC, so as long as you buy from reputable brands, the risk will be minimal.
Still, there can be instances where you end up giving your pup more CBD than required. So overdosing may not be an appropriate term, but it’s definitely possible for a dog to consume too much CBD. Let’s understand what happens in such cases, and what you should do as a responsible pet parent.
How to tell if your dog has taken too much CBD?
As much as we’d like, dogs can’t speak our language. So how will you know if a dog has taken too much CBD? Well, there are certain symptoms you can look for. Too much CBD will mess up your dog’s stomach. It can cause excessive bloating, stomach pain, cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive barking and whimpering because of stress and discomfort.
CBD can also make your dog extremely lethargic, and you may find that they are sleeping way too much than normal. Excessive grogginess, change in appetite, lack of mobility, and no excitement for treats and games, can all be symptoms of taking too much CBD.
Your dog may try to drink water more frequently and become highly exhausted because too much CBD can cause dehydration. So to sum it up, look for symptoms like dry mouth, diarrhea, frequent urination, excessive shaking, nausea, ataxia, and hypersensitivity.
What to do if your dog takes too much CBD?
As a beginner pet parent if you are coming across such a situation for the first time, keep the following things in mind.
Don’t Panic
The first thing to do is calm down and not make any rash decisions. Understand that your dog is already distressed and seeing you panicking will only make your fur ball feel more scared.
So gently whisper their name and assure them of safety by petting their head gently. Now check what was the appropriate dosage, and how much you have given extra. Not down all this information to give accurate details to your vet. This will allow both you and the doctor to assess the situation properly and administer appropriate treatment.
Look for Side Effects
Take note of what is happening with your dog to give a proper account of events to the doctor. Look for symptoms like vomiting, decreased heartbeat, restlessness, too much fatigue, lack of mobility, and behavioral changes.
Don’t try to cure things yourself by reading stuff on Google, it’s best to ask for expert advice from trained medical professionals. You may feel home remedies can do wonders, but they can also take things south and cause serious damage to your canine friend’s health.
Visit the Veterinarian
After doing a thorough assessment of the situation and calming your dog, call the vet right away. Try to get them to visit your home if your dog is not in travel condition. Give the doctor a full account of events step by step.
Tell them about your dog’s medical history, how much CBD you gave them, what the brand, what was cannabinoid concentration, how long you observed the symptoms and what was your immediate response.
Now let the vet do their work, they might give some medicine and ask your dog to be put under observation for some time. Once again, don’t panic, CBD won’t cause any long-lasting damage, and side effects will go away soon.
Observe your dog
After coming back from a vet visit, keep a check on your dog’s behavior. Note down any sudden changes and stay in touch with the doctor. Give them medicine if prescribed any, and keep a special focus on what you are feeding them for some time.
Make sure to store away the CBD treats and oils in locked cabinets to avoid such mishaps again. Also, make a dosage chart or print it out from the brand page, and stick it in the kitchen to avoid the mistake of giving too much CBD to your dog.
Dogs can be highly sensitive to THC, so try to buy CBD Zero THC treats and oils for dogs. Make sure to read the label and skip products with potentially allergic ingredients.
The Final Thoughts
To sum it up, if your dogs consume too much CBD, it can cause side effects like vomiting, fatigue, grogginess, stomach pain, and lack of mobility due to stress and anxiety. To avoid this, always follow the dosage guideline as given on the brand’s page, and give the appropriate amount as per your dog’s weight and underlying health conditions.
Store CBD treats behind locked containers to avoid accidental eating by your dog, and immediately get in touch with a qualified veterinarian in case of overconsumption. Lastly, make sure to buy only high-quality pet CBD products from reputed brands like Colorado Botanicals.