Consumer Reports: Should your pet try CBD?

It seems like CBD is everywhere these days, and apparently, it's not just for humans. Pet owners are seeking out the non-psychoactive component of cannabis to treat a variety of ailments for their furry family members. Should your pet try it? Consumer Reports has the highs and lows of CBD for your pet.

Pain, arthritis, seizures and other health problems have people turning to CBD for their pets. More and more products are hitting the market and in a recent survey of veterinarians, nearly two-thirds of respondents said they were asked about cannabis by their patients at least once a month.

"A lot of people want it to calm their pets and so dogs who have noise aversion or dogs who have a little anxiety, it seems to help with. And a lot of people are using it for pain management," said veterinarian Dr. Joseph Zuckerman.

In the 47 states where CBD is legal for human use, physicians can recommend CBD to their patients, and consumers can often purchase CBD at retail locations. But veterinarians operate under a different set of laws. If you are considering giving your furry family member CBD, Consumer Reports has some tips.

"Talk to your vet, and you'll have to bring up that conversation to make sure the CBD doesn't interact with any medications your pet is already on," said Consumer Reports Special Projects Editor Rachel Rabkin Peachman. "You're also going to want to start with a low dose and increase gradually to make sure your pet is doing well as your pet is on the CBD."

Cannabis for pets is largely unregulated and it can be difficult to know which CBD products have been formulated responsibly.

"Look for the seal from the National Animal Supplement Council that can help identify quality products," Rabkin Peachman said.

Also check the product has a COA on the label or website which shows that it has been tested for its content.

All Consumer Reports material Copyright 2019 Consumer Reports, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Consumer Reports is a not-for-profit organization which accepts no advertising. It has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor on this site. For more information visit consumerreports.org