Best Pet CBD in 2024: 5 Natural Pet Products for Your Pet’s Well-Being
Please consult a veterinarian before changing anything in your pet's health regimen.
If you’re a pet parent, you never want to see your four-legged friend shake from anxiety during a thunderstorm or endlessly itch during allergy season. Hearing them whine before you leave or frantically bark during a fireworks show breaks your heart and you would do anything to help them relax and feel more comfortable.
Luckily, you can do something to help your pet. Thanks to the continued fascination with CBD, many companies have developed pet-friendly CBD products to reduce anxiety and ease skin irritations for cats and dogs. And to help you find the perfect CBD solution for your pet, we’ve picked our top five products to try in 2024.
Best Overall: Honest Paws Calm CBD Oil For Dogs
Runner-Up: Penelope’s Bloom Soothing CBD Pet Balm for Dogs and Cats
Best CBD Capsule: HolistaPet CBD Capsules For Dogs and Cats
Best Broad-Spectrum Oil: Cannanine Ultra-Premium Hemp Oil For Dogs and Cats
Best CBD Balm: CBDfx Calming and Moisturizing Pet CBD Balm
Benefits of CBD for Pets
CBD can provide many of the same benefits for pets that it does for humans. Like humans, pets have an endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS system regulates various parts of the body and it’s the system that interacts with CBD, causing calmness, pain reduction and overall wellness. Because CBD similarly reacts to our pets, you can use pet CBD to help your dog or cat with similar ailments such as:
Anxiety and stress: Research finds long-term CBD use in healthy dogs can help lower stress and anxiety. Many pet parents use CBD to calm their dogs during thunderstorms, fireworks, or long days alone.
Pain: Many pet owners use CBD for their older dogs to help reduce arthritis and other body aches and pains. CBD has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce inflammation and discomfort and improve mobility.
Skin irritations: Since CBD is an anti-inflammatory, a topical CBD product may help reduce skin inflammation that causes itching.
Best Pet CBD in 2024
Browsing the hundreds of CBD products available for pets can feel overwhelming. Instead, start with our list of best pet CBD products to help you find the right CBD solution to help your pet.
Best Overall: Honest Paws Calm CBD Oil For Dogs
If your pet is going through many anxious situations or is an overall nervous animal, consider giving them a few drops of Honest Paws Calm CBD. This full-spectrum product is perfect for helping your pet manage their unwanted feelings and behaviors during travels, separation, loud noises and other nerve-wracking situations. In addition to CBD derived from organic hemp, the Honest Paws oil contains organic chamomile extract for added calming benefits.
Pros:
Subscription pricing is available to save 15 percent
Organic, all natural and non-GMO
Made in the USA
Specs:
CBD Type: Full-spectrum
Size: 1 fl oz bottles
Strength: 125mg, 250mg, 500mg and 1000mg of CBD per bottle
What Customers Say: Nearly all customers who use and rate the Honest Paws Calm CBD oil for pets give it a 5-star rating. Customers say it works way better than expected and has helped pets through thunderstorms, fireworks and long days away from their owners.
Runner-Up: Penelope’s Bloom Soothing CBD Pet Balm for Dogs and Cats
The Soothing CBD Pet Balm from Penelope’s Bloom is the perfect solution for cats and dogs needing skin health improvement. This full-spectrum CBD balm is an all-natural daily moisturizer to help keep your pet’s skin, paws and nose hydrated. It’s a shea butter base infused with lavender and jojoba essential oils to provide effective skin health support and discourage your pet from excessive scratching or licking.
Pros:
Subscription pricing is available to save 20 percent
All-natural and non-GMO
Made in the USA
Specs:
CBD Type: Full-spectrum
Size: 1 oz and 2 0z jars
Strength: 150mg or 300mg per container
Flavor: N/A
What Customers Say: It takes about a week to see results, but customers say this balm significantly improves the dryness and discoloration of their pet’s skin. People also mention that Penelope’s Bloom customer service is great and shipping is fast.
Best CBD Capsule: HolistaPet CBD Capsules For Dogs and Cats
If you’re looking for a THC-free product for your pet, try the HolistaPet CBD Capsules for dogs and cats. These pet-formulated CBD capsules have a vegan casing and contain plant-based and natural ingredients that are safe for your dog or cat. Simply hide the capsule in a treat, or open it and mix it into your pet’s food.
Pros:
Subscription pricing is available to save 25 percent
Made in the USA
Non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free
Specs:
CBD Type: Broad-spectrum
Size: 30-count container
Strength: 150mg, 300mg, 600mg, 1200mg, or 3000 mg per container
Flavor: Original
What Customers Say: Customers like the HolistaPet CBD for their pets, but HolistaPet gets the most praise for their customer service. People say their customer service is helpful with navigating the website, fixing purchases and being quick to refund if there’s an issue.
Best Broad-Spectrum Oil: Cannanine Ultra-Premium Hemp Oil For Dogs and Cats
Whether you’re looking to increase mobility, promote calmness, or support a healthy immune response, try the Ultra-Premium Hemp Oil from Cannanine. This CBD oil contains no THC and has three strengths to meet your pet’s needs. Cannanine only used human-grade ingredients and was third-party tested to confirm it’s free of heavy metals, harmful bacteria and other toxins, so you know it’s safe for your pet. Plus, every part of the proceeds for every purchase goes to help feed shelter dogs through a partnership with Rescue Bank.
Pros:
Manufactured in the USA
Non-GMO
Made with human-grade ingredients
Specs:
CBD Type: Broad-spectrum
Size: 1 fl oz
Strength: 250mg, 500mg and 1000mg of CBD per bottle
Flavor: N/A
What Customers Say: People found this CBD oil from Cannanine to be an excellent solution to increasing their pets’ mobility. Many customers say their pets are moving more freely and have increased energy thanks to this oil.
Best CBD Balm: CBDfx Calming and Moisturizing Pet CBD Balm
If your pet has dry, itchy, or irritated skin, the Calming and Moisturizing Pet Balm from CBDfx may help. This all-natural CBD balm contains no toxic chemicals, so it’s safe to lick. Massage the balm into any dry or hot spots, burns, wounds, or sore paws for instant relief for your pet. You can apply as needed to keep your pet itch and irritation-free.
Pros:
Made with all-natural ingredients
Vet-formulated
Third-party tested
Specs:
CBD Type: Broad-Spectrum
Size: 2 oz jar
Strength: 750mg CBD per jar
Flavor: N/A
What Customers Say: Customers claim this balm has a gentle, soothing formula that helps their pet itch and lick less. People also find their pets to be calmer after using this product, likely because they’re not irritated by their irritated skin.
How We Picked the Best CBD for Pets
With hundreds of CBD pet options available, we want to feature only the best. We thoroughly dig into each product and company to better understand their production process, ingredients, testing and customer reviews.
Production Process
The production process is how a company extracts and manufactures its CBD product. The production process is important because it affects the product’s quality and safety if not done properly.
There are many ways to extract CBD from hemp, but one of the best ways is CO2 extraction. This process uses pressurized carbon dioxide to draw CBD and other naturally occurring elements from the cannabis plant. It’s one of the safest methods and generally results in higher potency and quality products.
Regarding manufacturing, we look for companies that work with manufacturers that follow the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP). CGMP are FDA-approved regulations to ensure the safety and quality of products a manufacturer produces.
Reviews
Customer reviews are some of the best ways to understand if a product works. CBD works differently for every pet, but reviews tell us if a product works as expected for most customers. Reviews also provide insight into a company’s customer service, shopping and potential side effects for pets.
Testing
CBD products, whether for pets or humans, are not FDA regulated. Since the FDA is not ensuring the products’ quality and safety, we look for third-party tested products. Third-party testing means an independent lab checks the product to ensure it contains the amount of CBD and other ingredients listed on the label. Labs also test for pesticides, heavy metals and other potentially harmful substances.
Quality Ingredients
Just because a company is making a pet product doesn’t mean they should use lesser quality ingredients. As a pet parent, you know how important quality ingredients are to your pet’s health, so we look for companies using human-grade, organic and natural ingredients in their products. Just like with a human CBD product, there should be tons of additives to synthetic elements that can use digestive issues.
What to Look for When Buying CBD for Pets
Finding the right CBD for your pet can feel overwhelming, especially when you have many options. To ensure you get the best product for your furry friend, you’ll want to consider many things when shopping for pet CBD, including the potency, what it helps, form, price and flavor.
Potency
The potency of your pet’s CBD product is one of the most important things you’ll want to pay attention to when shopping for CBD. The potency refers to how much CBD is in a product or serving. The potency you’ll need depends on your pet’s weight; most items will have suggested usage on their label.
If you have a pet between strengths, always start with the smallest dosage first to see how your pet reacts. If your pet doesn’t seem to get the relief it needs, you can slowly increase the dosage. Always monitor your dog on CBD, especially if they’re new to it.
What it helps
In general, most CBD products provide similar results. However, some may have added ingredients to help specific ailments like anxiety or pain. If you’re giving your pet for a certain reason, look for products to help with that ailment. People get pet CBD to help with anxiety (especially separation anxiety or situational anxiety caused by storms or fireworks), pain (arthritis or aging pain) and skin irritations. If you’re giving your pet CBD to aid with general wellness, you can look for a more generic product.
Form
Pets are generally more picky than humans about the form of CBD they’ll take, so try to find one your pet enjoys. Most pets like treats because it takes similar to normal pet treats or oils because you can mix them into their food without them knowing.
Aside from what your pet likes, you always want to consider what you want to give your pet. Owners like treats and capsules because each contains a pre-measured amount of CBD, making dosing simple. However, other owners like having more control over how much CBD their pets get and prefer using an oil where they can use the attached dropper to measure the dosage.
Flavor
If you don’t have a food-motivated pet or a picky eater, the flavors will be an important element for you to consider. Many CBD treats and oils come in pet-friendly flavors with strong scents to entice your pet. You can also find non-flavored or naturally flavored oils that blend easily with your pet’s food so they won’t notice.
Price
You’ll want to provide your pet with CBD daily for the best and longest-lasting results, so you’ll want to find something within your budget. The most expensive CBD doesn’t mean it’s the best, so don’t worry about spending tons of money on your pet, but instead, find a CBD product that offers subscription pricing, free shipping and a money-back guarantee to help you save on your orders.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-impairing compound found in hemp in non-hemp plants. It’s one of the many active compounds in marijuana but does not cause a high like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), also found in marijuana.
The United States Congress made hemp-derived CBD legal in 2018 after they signed the Agriculture Improvement Act, removing CBD from the federal Controlled Substance Act. Hemp is any part of the cannabis plant that contains less than 0.3 percent TCH, meaning any non-hemp derived CBD is still illegal in the United States, except in states that have legalized recreational THC use.
The popularity of CBD among humans has significantly grown in recent years. People have found CBD to help with stress, anxiety, sleep and mild body pain and discomfort. While research around the benefits of CBD is still new, it’s believed to help by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS).
The ECS system regulates various body parts, including muscles, vascular functions, skin, organs and more. Cats, dogs and other mammals also have ECS systems, so many pet owners are turning to CBD products to provide similar benefits to their beloved furry friends.
Types of CBD
When companies extract CBD from a hemp or non-hemp plant, the CBD will contain several additional cannabis plant components, including THC. A company may choose to put CBD through other processes to remove various elements, creating different CBD types. CBD comes in three primary types:
Full-spectrum is when the company doesn’t do additional processing and leaves all naturally occurring components in the CBD, including up to 0.3 percent of THC. Most people agree that full-spectrum CBD provides the best results because it allows for an entourage effect, where all the compounds work synergistically to enhance the overall impact.
Broad-spectrum CBD contains many naturally occurring compounds but undergoes additional extraction to remove the THC. Broad-spectrum products will provide similar effects as full-spectrum, but it’s a great option for anyone uncomfortable with THC. It’s also the most commonly used in pet products.
Isolate CBD is the purest form, containing no other naturally occurring compounds. Isolate CBD is the least common of the three forms.
Forms of CBD for Pets
Similar to CBD for humans, pet CBD comes in various forms. Whether you give your pet a treat, oil, or capsule doesn’t matter much, as most forms will deliver similar results. Choosing a CBD type is about finding something your pet enjoys and is easy for you to administer.
Treats: One of the most common ways to give CBD to your pet is through an infused treat. CBD treats are perfect if you have a food-motivated pet. Most treats come in pet-approved flavors, like peanut butter or chicken; your pet won’t know they’re taking CBD. Many owners also prefer CBD treats because each contains a pre-measured amount of CBD, making it easier to dose your pet properly.
Oil: For pets that don’t respond well to treats, CBD oil may be a better option. Many pet owners like CBD oil because they can control how much they give their pets using the attached dropper. You can administer oil by putting it directly into your dog’s mouth, or you can mix it into their food.
Capsules: If you want something with a pre-measured amount of CBD that isn’t a treat, you can try CBD capsules. You can use peanut butter or a pill treat to hide the capsule for your pet or give it to them orally without any coating.
Topicals: If your pet suffers from skin or paw irritation, it may benefit from a topical spray or cream. Topicals are products you can massage into your pet’s skin, paws, or fur to relieve irritation or discomfort. Trusted CBD brands make topicals with pet-safe ingredients, so it’s okay if they lick the area after application, although it’ll work better if you allow it to dry and get absorbed.
Side Effects of CBD for Pets
Like humans, your pet may experience side effects after taking CBD. In most cases, pets will experience side effects if you’ve administered too high a dosage, so it’s important to follow dosage recommendations based on your pet’s weight and always opt on the side of a smaller dose until you know how your pet will react.
The most common CBD side effects in pets include:
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Tiredness
Appetite changes
It may take a few hours for the side effects to go away as the CBD leaves your pet’s system. If side effects persist, contact your vet immediately to ensure there's no underlying cause for the symptoms.
FAQs
Is CBD legal?
Yes, CBD is federally legal in the United States. However, states can enact state-wide restrictions, so always check your state’s laws before buying, selling, or using CBD.
Will CBD make my pet high?
No, CBD will not make your pet high. CBD affects pets similarly to humans and like human CBD products, pet items don’t contain high levels of THC, which is the compound that causes a high.
Are there side effects of CBD products in pets?
Yes, your pet may experience side effects from taking CBD. Side effects are primarily caused by administering too much CBD and will go away once the CBD is out of the pet’s system. Common side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and appetite changes.
Can my pet use human CBD?
No, you should never give your pet human CBD. Human CBD products may contain additives and ingredients that are harmful to pets. Only give your pet CBD products made for pets and always consult your vet before starting your pet on a CBD regimen.
