Many dogs experience stress when separated from their caregivers and during car rides. Pet owners use a variety of methods to manage these problems, from training to giving medications and supplements, often with varying results.
Cannabidiol (CBD) can relieve stress and anxiety in humans, but its effect on stress in dogs is less documented. This study aimed to understand the effect of being left alone and traveling in a car on measures of stress in dogs and to determine if a single dose of a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-free CBD distillate can positively affect certain measures of stress.
Background, dogs experience stressful situations:
Companion dogs are likely to experience a variety of stressful situations during their lifetime, often due to their relationship with humans. These are often unavoidable and usually relate to events such as road trips and separation from caregivers or relatives. Due to the ever-changing relationship between humans and animals, there is an increasing need for dogs to fit into human lifestyles, which can cause stress and anxiety for both humans and their pets.
Separation stress for dogs
When dogs are socially isolated or separated from bonded individuals for extended periods of time, separation-related behaviors may occur. This can manifest as separation anxiety, which is one of the most commonly reported stress-related problems in pet dogs and accounts for up to 50% of referrals to behavioral specialists.
Stress during road trips for dogs:
Another common situation that can induce stress in dogs and lead to negative emotional states is car trips. Most dogs will experience traveling in a vehicle in their lifetime, and the frequency of this depends on the owner's lifestyle, demographics and geographic distance to places such as parks, veterinary clinics and dog groomers.
CBD as an anti-stress intervention for dogs:
One intervention that is becoming increasingly popular is the administration of cannabidiol (CBD), likely in response to its perceived natural treatment among pet owners. CBD has been shown to have positive effects on the health and well-being of humans and non-human animals through the endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for regulating pain and inflammatory processes.
Results and conclusion:
The study showed significant changes in several stress-related measures from baseline to test, with the car ride generating a more pronounced overall stress response. The mitigating effect of CBD treatment varied by measure and test, with some indications of a significant reduction in dogs' stress compared to the placebo group.
Conclusion:
Further research is needed to fully understand the complex effect of CBD on the well-being of dogs. This study provides valuable insight into how separation and road trips affect dogs' stress levels and how a single dose of CBD can affect them. By understanding these mechanisms, we can better support our four-legged friends during stressful situations.
Read more about the study: National Library of Medicine
