To observe the dogs’ behaviors, the researchers video taped the

experiment and counted the amount of time dog’s spent with ears relaxed, earserect, tail stiff and other movements associated with fear or relaxation.

Taking a cannabidiol (CBD) supplement didn’t seem to reduce dogs’ fearfulbehavior or stress hormones when they heard a recording of fireworks in anexperiment.

“Considering the increased interest of CBD use in companion animals, continuedresearch is essential to understanding the mechanisms by which CBD may exertanxiolytic effects as well as possible risks, like drug interactions,associated with CBD administration,” the scientists wrote in the journalFrontiers in Veterinary Medicine.

Experiment on CBD and fear in dogs

Scientists gave 16 dogs either CBD, trazodone, a combination of CBD andtrazodone, or nothing as a control. Trazodone is not labeled for use withdogs, but the researchers wrote that off-label use is common for the treatmentof anxiety disorders and to reduce post-surgery confinement stresses. The dogsreceived 1.4 milligrams of CBD per kilogram of body weight per day. Afterseven days of taking the supplement, the researchers played a three-minutefireworks track to scare the dogs without harming them. The scientistscollected blood samples one hour before, immediately after and one hourfollowing the fireworks. They analyzed the levels of cortisol in the dogs’blood. Cortisol is a hormone associated with stressful situations in both dogsand humans. To observe the dogs’ behaviors, the researchers videotaped theexperiment and counted the amount of time dog’s spent with ears relaxed, earserect, tail stiff and other movements associated with fear or relaxation.

The dogs taking trazodone had lowered levels of cortisol in their bloodplasma, after the loud noises, whereas the dogs in the CBD, trazodone/CBDgroup and control groups did not. Similarly, the CBD didn’t reduce the dogs’fearful behavior during the fireworks. The scientists concluded that thedosage of CBD they used didn’t seem to have an anti-anxiety effect. Theysuggested that future studies try higher doses of CBD.

“It may be inadvisable to administer CBD concomitantly with other products ormedications as the results from this study highlight potential druginteractions associated with CBD use,” the researchers wrote.

Source: Petfood Industry – Tim Wall

Image: Bigstock

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