Cannabis oil can ‘improve’ lives of dogs with epilepsy, study finds

New research has suggested CBD oil could reduce potentially deadly epileptic seizures in dogs 33%.

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is extracted from cannabis plants and only contains trace amounts of psychoactive ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Researchers at Colorado State University in the US tested its effect on pooches suffering with epilepsy when used alongside conventional treatment — comparing it with a placebo drug at the same time.

Stephanie McGrath, lead author of the study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, said: “Dogs were randomly assigned to a CBD or placebo group. The CBD group received CBD-infused oil twice daily for 12 weeks in addition to existing anti-epileptic treatments, and the placebo group received non-infused oil under the same conditions.

“Dogs in the CBD group had a significant reduction in seizure frequency, compared with the placebo group.”

She added: “Give the correlation between plasma CBD concentration and seizure frequency, additional research is warranted to determine whether a higher dosage of CBD would be effective in reducing seizure activity by greater than 50%.”

David Barcly, founder of CBD oil brand CBD Armour, has welcomed the study, but advised pet owners to double-check safe dosage levels for their animal.

He said: “If CBD can help animals as it clearly seems to be helping humans, then that can only be a good thing. Obviously the correct dosage needs to be taken into account. Animals would be given a much smaller amount than humans.”

CBD, which is legal in the UK and sold as a “trendy” food supplement, has surged in popularity with a number of celebrities endorsing it. A growing number of pet owners who have taken the oil are using it to fix their furry friend’s ailments too.

However, vets say more research is needed into the potential benefits of CBD oil before proper regulation is brought in.