TJ, Author at Sunset Lake CBD

Key Takeaways

CBD is a natural supplement that can help relieve your dog’s joint pain in the short run.
CBD isn’t in any way going to cure, treat, or prevent the underlying causes of your dog’s joint pain.

Can CBD Help with Joint Pain in Dogs?

If you’re a dog owner, you know that joint pain can wreak havoc on your four-legged friend’s quality of life. From eating to walking, going up and down stairs to doing their outdoor business, everything gets harder when your pup is in pain.

If you’re considering CBD to help out with your dog’s joint pain, this is the post for you. We’re going to cover what CBD is, the different causes of your pup’s joint pain, and how CBD may help your dog manage their pain and help them regain mobility.

Understanding CBD for Dogs

CBD is a naturally occurring compound, called a cannabinoid, produced by flowering hemp and cannabis plants. Unlike THC, the intoxicating cannabinoid responsible for marijuana’s euphoric effects, CBD is non-intoxicating and non-addictive.

CBD is generally considered safe for both human and canine consumption. While there are some side effects, CBD is a safe option for pups and older dogs alike.

Causes of Joint Pain In Dogs

Unfortunately, joint pain is a common issue in dogs. There are several causes, some of which can be better managed with CBD, and some that can’t. Understanding the difference will help you and your dog in the long run.

Developmental Joint Issues

Some dogs and breeds are genetically more prone to developing joint issues. For example, many large dog breeds are more likely to develop various issues, like hip and elbow dysplasia, that can result in inflamed joints.

Developmental joint issues include:

Hip & elbow dysplasia – characterized by abnormal joint formation leading to pain, reduced mobility, and potentially arthritis.
Osteochondrosis/ osteochondritis disscans of the shoulder – a condition where the cartilage covering the surfaces of bones in the joint fails to develop correctly, leading to pain and stiffness.
Hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD) – a bone disorder that affects young, growing dogs. It’s characterized by inflammation and thickening in the bone growth plates.

Degenerative Joint Issues

Unlike genetic developmental joint issues, degenerative joint issues develop over time and can happen to any dog.

With degenerative joint issues, either the cartilage in your dog’s joints wears down or they experience a tendon injury. With repeated use and time, these problems can grow worse and lead to more severe problems.

Injury

Not all joint pain develops slowly over time. If you’ve got an adventurous dog, you know that they can (and probably at some point will) hurt themselves.

Joint pain caused by injury is random and unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean it’s untreatable.

Weight

One more cause of joint pain we want to highlight here is your dog’s weight. Now, we’re not saying larger dogs aren’t just as loveable as other dogs, but sometimes your dog’s extra weight can cause joint problems down the road.

Extra weight puts more stress on your dog’s joints and can lead to more serious issues if you’re not careful.

Can CBD Help with Your Dog’s Joint Pain?

Now that we’ve covered the different sources of joint pain, let’s review whether or not CBD can help.

Developmental Joint Issues – CBD can provide some short-term pain relief for dogs with developmental joint issues, but you’ll want to consult with your vet about a longer term treatment plan. A dog suffering from dysplasia may benefit more from surgery than from CBD supplements.
Degenerative Joint Issues – CBD may make your dog more comfortable and help with mobility. Dogs suffering from degenerative issues may be older and not eligible for more long-term treatments. In this case, consult your vet, decide on a CBD dose, and improve your dog’s quality of life.
Injury – CBD can certainly help your dog manage their joint pain stemming from injury. However, more likely than not, they’ll need to limit their use of the injured leg to ensure proper recovery.
Weight – CBD likely won’t help your dog if the source of its joint pain is its weight. It may help take the edge off if your dog is suffering from limited mobility, but only in the short term.

How does CBD Help with Joint Pain?

While CBD isn’t going to treat, cure, or prevent the underlying causes of your dog’s joint pain, it may alleviate some of your dog’s symptoms, including pain.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties – Our first study, published in 2015, states: “Clinical studies have confirmed that CBD reduces the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, inhibits T-cell proliferation, and reduces migration and adhesion of immune cells.” In non-science speak, CBD helps reduce inflammation by slowing down our body’s overeager white blood cells.

Reducing Pain Severity – In a 2020 study published in The Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain, a team of researchers found that CBD administered over 4 weeks significantly decreased pain among the osteoarthritic dogs in the study.

Better Mobility – In our most recent study published in 2024, dogs were given CBD and NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) and found that together, both significantly helped osteoarthritic dogs regain their mobility.

How to use CBD to manage your dog’s joint pain

Unlike other supplements and medications, CBD doesn’t always come with instructions. That can be frustrating, especially when you’re dealing with such serious issues as your dog’s health.

While we don’t want to speak to every CBD product, our general guidelines for treating joint pain with CBD would be this:

Consult with your vet – They can give you a specific recommendation based on your dog’s age, weight, issue, etc.
Buy from a reputable brand – Make sure that you’re buying a product designed specifically for pets, free of fillers, and with third-party purity tests included.
Consistency is key – Especially when dealing with chronic pain issues, you’ll want to make sure your dog is taking their CBD consistently for best results.

Conclusion

While your dog’s joint pain can stem from any number of underlying issues, CBD can help relieve some of that pain in the short run.

While it won’t fix or cure the underlying cause of said pain, it is a safe and natural alternative you may want to consider if your pup is in some pain.

Sources

Jean-Gilles, L et al. “Effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines on cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors in immune cells.” Acta physiologica (Oxford, England) vol. 214,1 (2015): 63-74. doi:10.1111/apha.12474
Verrico, Chris D et al. “A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of daily cannabidiol for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis pain.” Pain vol. 161,9 (2020): 2191-2202. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001896
Talsma, Bryce et al. “Evaluation of the effect of cannabidiol administration with and without nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in dogs with mobility disorders: a prospective, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study.” Frontiers in veterinary science vol. 11 1449343. 25 Sep. 2024, doi:10.3389/fvets.2024.1449343

Key Takeaways

CBD will not prevent, cure, or treat anxiety and stress. Instead, CBD is a tool that you can use in conjunction with other coping mechanisms and medication(s) to alleviate your symptoms.
The statements in this blog post should not be construed as medical advice. Sunset Lake is in no way saying that CBD will be an effective treatment for your stress and/or anxiety.

Is CBD the Answer for Stress and Anxiety?

Stress and anxiety are a part of everyday life. Life throws you curve balls, potential problems linger on the horizon, and you find a way to deal with them.

However, when stress and anxiety start to get in the way of you living a happy and healthy life, it may be time to start looking for external support— and there’s no shame in that. You may have found this post because someone you know is now using CBD to help them roll with life’s punches. But is it too good to be true?

In this post, we’ll cover the differences between stress and anxiety and talk about whether or not you can use CBD in your day-to-day to keep both at a manageable level.

First, What is CBD?

CBD is a non-intoxicating extract from flowering hemp and cannabis plants. Known as a cannabinoid, a chemical compound found in cannabis plants, CBD has many soothing and therapeutic effects.

The Differences Between Anxiety and Stress

While stress and anxiety are closely related, they are distinctly different in how they manifest in our bodies. By recognizing the difference between stress and anxiety, you can identify the most effective way to manage your symptoms and take steps to improve your mental health.

Stress

Stress is caused by an immediate event, situation, or pressure (like problems at work or family drama). Stress is distinct from anxiety because stress is temporary and should fade away once the stressor (the work problem or drama) is resolved.

Stress is your body’s natural response to a new problem, typically felt as muscle tension or tightness. Scientifically speaking, when you’re “stressed,” your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to prepare your body for action. While this bodily response helped our ancestors with immediate threats, it sure doesn’t help folks nowadays whose stress is more complex than life-or-death situations.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a longer-term feeling that persists even when you’re not experiencing any obvious external trigger. It’s characterized by constant worry or fear. Anxiety can range from dwelling thoughts about what can go wrong to more extreme feelings of panic.

Unlike stress, anxiety isn’t a natural response to any one thing. Instead, it’s a mental health condition that can lead to other symptoms like,

Irritability
Trouble sleeping
Difficulty relaxing or focusing
Upset stomach
A heightened state of alertness

Stress Can Turn Into Anxiety

While stress and anxiety are distinct disorders, untreated and chronic stress can eventually turn into anxiety. In some cases, people with chronic stress can also develop diagnosable anxiety disorders like Generalized Anxiety Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder.

Can CBD Help with Short-Term Stress?

CBD can help manage the symptoms of short-term stress. In fact, in our last customer survey, 66% of respondents said that they used Sunset Lake CBD’s products to “Relax and Relieve Stress.”

If we look at studies about CBD and stress, we can see why CBD might be an effective tool to use against stress.

A 2024 study about CBD and stress found that CBD seems to curb cortisol release in anticipation of a stressor. This means that CBD taken before a stressful event helps a person stay more regulated.

Not a Cure

While we’re in no way saying that CBD will prevent you from getting stressed altogether, it’s worth noting that based on our customer reviews, folks who tend to take their CBD consistently seem to have an easier time re-regulating after a stressful event.

CBD is merely a tool you can use to better cope with stressors in your life. Other tools include breath work, yoga, mindfulness, and physical activities.

Can CBD Help with Long-Term Anxiety?

This is a much more difficult question to answer. Unlike stress, which is measurable via hormones our body releases, anxiety is harder to pin down.

We’ll get into some studies shortly that support the idea that CBD can help manage anxiety, but please take them with a grain of salt. Most anxiety studies rely on self-reported results by the participants.

CBD for Treatment-Resistant Anxiety Disorders…

The first study we’ll highlight here is relatively recent, from 2022. Because of how formless anxiety disorders can be, treating anxiety with pharmaceuticals is also challenging. When someone doesn’t have success with medications, we say they have “treatment-resistant” anxiety.

In this study, 31 young people ages 12–25 with treatment-resistant anxiety were given CBD consistently for 12 weeks. The doses ranged upwards of 800mg per day. (We at Sunset Lake don’t recommend taking this much CBD per day unless otherwise directed by a medical professional. The risk of side effects increases with the dose.)

At the end of 12 weeks, researchers found that self-reported anxiety intensity fell by almost 50%. They concluded by suggesting that CBD can reduce the severity of anxiety and has a relatively good safety profile in young people.

CBD for Social Anxiety Disorders

For this second study, we travel across the globe to Japan. This 2019 study identified 37 teens with social anxiety disorder and avoidant personality disorder and measured their response to CBD oil.

After four weeks of consistent dosings of broad-spectrum CBD oil, researchers found that self-reported anxiety significantly decreased, as measured by both testing scales the study used. The study suggests that CBD could be a useful option to treat social anxiety.

CBD for Anxiety— A Meta-Analysis

Because there has been so much research coming out about CBD and its uses, more comprehensive studies about the studies themselves have recently been published. We call these studies a “meta-analysis.”

The one we’ll highlight here was published in 2024 in the journal Psychiatry Research. Across the eight studies included, this study focused on how effective CBD is in treating generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

After combining the data sets and conducting their own analysis, researchers suggested that “CBD has promising efficacy in the treatment of anxiety symptoms (including GAD, SAD, OCD, and PTSD) in addition to standard treatments.” In nonacademic speak, they’re saying that adding CBD to your current treatment plan may help you better manage your anxiety.

Conclusion

Because Sunset Lake is a CBD company, we won’t tell you that CBD can treat your anxiety and stress. That would be irresponsible and land us in some hot water with the FDA.

However, we will say that more and more evidence is piling up that suggests that CBD may be able to help you manage the symptoms, physical and mental, that arise from your stress and anxiety. The best way to figure out if CBD works for you is to try it out. Your body will be the judge.

Sources:

Bidwell, L Cinnamon et al. “Acute and Extended Anxiolytic Effects of Cannabidiol in Cannabis Flower: A Quasi-Experimental ad libitum Use Study.” Cannabis and cannabinoid research vol. 9,4 (2024): 1015-1027. doi:10.1089/can.2023.0187
Han, Kevin et al. “Therapeutic potential of cannabidiol (CBD) in anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Psychiatry research vol. 339 (2024): 116049. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116049
Spinella, Toni C et al. “The Impact of Cannabidiol Expectancy on Cortisol Responsivity in the Context of Acute Stress: Associations with Biological Sex.” Cannabis and cannabinoid research vol. 9,4 (2024): 1006-1014. doi:10.1089/can.2022.0326
Masataka, Nobuo. “Anxiolytic Effects of Repeated Cannabidiol Treatment in Teenagers With Social Anxiety Disorders.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 10 2466. 8 Nov. 2019, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02466

Key Takeaway:

You’ll be able to find the best CBD dosage for your dog based on trial and error. Using their weight as a starting point is a great first step in finding that perfect dose. We recommend starting your dog on the following dosing schedule:

1 to 2 milligrams of CBD for every 10 pounds (4.5kg) of body weight per dose.

Continue reading “The Optimal CBD Dose for Your Dog (Based on Weight!)”

Not every CBD product works the same. Depending on the type of product you use, the CBD inside may take a few minutes to start working, or it can take two hours.

Knowing what your goals are and what fits your lifestyle will help you find the right product for you.

Can You Feel CBD?

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring compound called “a cannabinoid.” Like THC, another well-known cannabinoid, you can consume CBD in different ways, like smoking or via edibles.

However, unlike THC, you won’t feel CBD the same way, as it’s not an intoxicating or psychoactive cannabinoid. That doesn’t mean it isn’t working, though.

How Long Until CBD Starts Working?

If you’re familiar with cannabis and marijuana products, you’ll know that the onset of effects depends on how you consume it. If you’ve never used marijuana or cannabis products— don’t worry; we’ll discuss the different consumption methods and how long it takes before they start working below.

Inhalation (Smoking or Vaping)

Let’s start with the most immediate method of consumption: inhaling vaporized cannabinoids.

When you smoke CBD-rich hemp flower or use a CBD vape product, you’re directing vaporized cannabinoids into your lungs, where they enter your bloodstream almost instantly. Several studies have shown that when you smoke or vape CBD, you’ll feel the full effects in three minutes!

If you’re looking for instant relaxation during the day or immediate relief at night, you may want to consider CBD smokables or vape products.

CBD Beverages

We’ve split CBD beverages from the larger group of CBD edibles because of the types of CBD used in each. Unlike traditional edibles that use a cooking oil infused with CBD, beverages are made with water-soluble CBD.

Because the CBD in beverages is water soluble, that means it can enter your bloodstream much faster than other types of CBD. Most users begin to feel the effects of CBD beverages within 15 to 20 minutes.

Sublingual CBD (Pouches and CBD Oil)

Sublingual CBD comes in two forms:

CBD lip pouches
CBD oil

You may think, “Wow, those two things are nothing alike,” and you’d be right. Sublingual CBD isn’t a product category. Instead, it refers to where you apply the CBD— in this case, against the thin membranes in our mouths and under the tongue.

Thanks to this thin membrane, CBD is able to traverse and enter the bloodstream more quickly than it can in our digestive system. Generally, CBD taken sublingually starts to work in 15 to 30 minutes.

CBD Oil (Ingested)

If you choose to consume your CBD oil without first applying it sublingually, it will take more time to work. Because the oil first needs to travel down into your intestines before it enters your bloodstream, it can take the CBD 45 to 90 minutes to start working.

The nice thing about CBD oil is that you can first use it sublingually and then swallow the oil for extended effects.

CBD Edibles

We’ll finish with the slowest products: CBD edibles. When you eat a food or candy infused with CBD, it may take one to two hours to start working. This delay is due to your digestive system’s natural delay. The food has to reach your stomach, break down, and enter your small intestines before any of the CBD can enter your bloodstream.

That said, don’t count CBD edibles out. Because they take longer to start working, they also last the longest.

Picking the Right CBD Product

Depending on your schedule and your goals, the type of CBD you use can have a big impact on your overall experience. If you’re shopping with a specific objective in mind, like sleep or managing joint pain, you’ll want to consider different types of CBD and how they might work with your schedule.

Sources:

Lucas, Catherine J et al. “The pharmacokinetics and the pharmacodynamics of cannabinoids.” British journal of clinical pharmacology vol. 84,11 (2018): 2477-2482. doi:10.1111/bcp.13710
Millar, Sophie A et al. “A Systematic Review on the Pharmacokinetics of Cannabidiol in Humans.” Frontiers in pharmacology vol. 9 1365. 26 Nov. 2018, doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.01365
Taylor, Lesley et al. “A Phase I, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Single Ascending Dose, Multiple Dose, and Food Effect Trial of the Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Highly Purified Cannabidiol in Healthy Subjects.” CNS drugs vol. 32,11 (2018): 1053-1067. doi:10.1007/s40263-018-0578-5

Understanding CBD for Dogs

CBD is a naturally occurring compound, called a cannabinoid, produced by flowering hemp and cannabis plants. Unlike THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid responsible for marijuana’s euphoric experience, CBD is non-intoxicating and non-addictive.

CBD is generally considered safe to consume for humans and dogs alike. While we’ll cover some side effects below, CBD is a safe and natural option for your pup.

How Often Can You Give Your Dog CBD?

Unlike medications you would give your dog, CBD doesn’t come with set-in-stone instructions. That can be a bit frustrating. We get it.

We’re here to help. To answer the question: Yes, you can give your dog their CBD chew or CBD oil every day. Unless they start exhibiting some negative side effects, it’s perfectly safe. In fact, we encourage daily dosing.

Unless you’re using CBD to manage your dog’s event-specific anxieties about vet visits or thunderstorms, using CBD every day can be incredibly beneficial for your dog.

Sleep – Keeping your dog on a daily CBD dose, even if small, can help them relax, adapt to new environments, and keep them safe and sound.

Digestion – Adding CBD to your dog’s diet may support healthy digestive functions. This is especially true if your pup has a hard time staying regular when they’re stressed.

Mobility – Daily CBD can be incredibly helpful for older dogs with limited mobility and joint pain. To keep your dog comfortable and active, we recommend sticking to a daily CBD regimen.

Side Effects of Daily CBD Use

As long as you follow your product’s instructions, your dog should be just fine with daily CBD. However, with all supplements, side effects can happen. If your dog starts to exhibit the following side effects, please stop giving them CBD, get in touch with your vet, and ask for their opinion.

Diarrhea – If you notice that your dog’s regularity is off after starting CBD, stop using your current product. Oil products, especially, can lead to an increased chance of diarrhea.
Decreased Appetite – If you notice that your pup isn’t finishing their dinner, it could be that the CBD or oil product could be upsetting their stomach.
Fatigue – If, after starting your dog on CBD, you notice that they just aren’t themselves— if they’re sluggish or disinterested, they may be reacting negatively to the CBD.

Conclusion

As a natural, plant-based supplement, CBD is generally well-tolerated and considered safe for humans and dogs alike. That said, you can certainly give your dog CBD every day, and it may even be beneficial to do so.

Sources

Flint, Hannah E et al. “Daily dosing of cannabidiol (CBD) demonstrates a positive effect on measures of stress in dogs during repeated exposure to car travel.” Journal of Animal Science vol. 102 (2024): skad414. doi:10.1093/jas/skad414

Can using CBD daily help you achieve your long-term wellness goals? In this post, we’ll talk about how CBD works, the benefits of daily dosing, and how you can find a high-quality product that works best for you.

Continue reading “What are the Benefits of Taking CBD Daily?”

We’re animal people here at Sunset Lake CBD, and we know it can be hard to watch your pup struggle with anxiety. Luckily, CBD may be able to help with your dog’s anxiety.

In this post, we’ll briefly introduce CBD as a supplement, anxiety-related behaviors in dogs, and review a recent study about using CBD to treat anxiety in dogs.

What is CBD?

CBD, more formally known as cannabidiol, is one of the more than 100 cannabinoids produced by hemp and marijuana flowers. CBD is a natural and safe supplement for dogs and humans alike.

A Natural Supplement

As a plant-based supplement, CBD is much more gentle on the system than over-the-counter and prescription drugs. With that said, it’s important to keep in mind that CBD won’t always work the same way for everyone (or every dog).

Signs of Anxiety in Dogs

Anxiety in dogs is common, with some recent studies finding close to 73% of dogs exhibiting at least one anxiety-related behavior. If you’re an owner, you may know how difficult it is to watch your dog struggle with anxiety, and that might be how you found this post.

Before we get into anxiety-related behaviors, let’s just first say that Sunset Lake CBD is in no way claiming that CBD can “cure” your dog’s anxiety. However, you may use CBD to alleviate your dog’s anxiety-related behaviors. Some of these include:

Destructive Behaviors

If you’ve ever left your dog alone in a space for an extended period of time and come back to a destroyed house, you may have an anxious pup. Anxiety can manifest as excessive energy that your dog is compelled to express.

Destroying furniture and toys, scratching at doors, and going to the bathroom indoors can all be signs that your dog is too stressed.

Attention-Seeking Behaviors

Similarly to destructive behaviors, your dog may try to get your attention because they have too much energy with no outlet. Some attention-seeking behaviors include excessive barking and incessant whining.

Panicked Behaviors

Unlike destructive and attention-seeking behaviors, your dog may instead respond to stressful stimuli with the flight response. If your dog attempts to run away, can’t stop shaking, or pants as if they were hyperventilating, they may be too stressed to be in their current situation.

Can CBD Help Stressed Dogs?

For the rest of this post, we’ll be referring to a study published in the February 2023 issue of Veterinary Science titled “A single dose of cannabidiol (CBD) positively influences measures of stress in dogs during separation and car travel.”

In the study, researchers subjected 40 healthy dogs to two distinctly stressful situations:

Isolation – 45 minutes shut into a familiar room with toys and no handler.
Car travel – 45 minutes shut in an unfamiliar (environmentally-controlled) car with no handler.

Isolation

In this test, dogs were left alone for 45 minutes in a room filled with toys and familiar items and monitored behaviorally and physiologically.

At the end of the testing, staff observed that the dogs in the placebo group were more likely to be “nervous,” “sad,” and “tense.” The dogs in the CBD group, on the other hand, were more likely to be more “comfortable” and less “restless.”

Car Test

In this test, dogs were left alone in an unmoving car for 45 minutes (don’t worry, the windows were open!) At the end of the test, staff observed that the dogs in the placebo group were less “comfortable” and “relaxed” compared to their baseline.

Meanwhile, researchers noted that the dogs in the CBD group were more “explorative” during the car test and less “sad” than their placebo counterparts.

CBD Used in Testing

The CBD that the researchers used for the tests described above was a personalized capsule that contained 4mg of CBD for every 2.2 pounds that the dog weighed. For example, if a dog weighed 22 pounds, they were administered 40mg of CBD two hours before the testing began.

Full Results

When this study was published, researchers concluded that a single dose (4mg/kg of body weight) of CBD distillate can influence some of the behaviors in anxious dogs.

The following is pulled directly from the study:

Dogs who received CBD were rated as being significantly less “stressed,” “sad,” “tense,” and “uncomfortable” and more “explorative” during the separation event than dogs who received the placebo. Consistent with this, dogs who received the CBD also exhibited less whining and sitting behavior and traveled further when they were left alone. Collectively, these characteristics are suggestive of a more relaxed emotional state in CBD treated dogs.

Consider CBD When Treating Your Dog’s Anxiety

While CBD is not a cure or treatment for your dog’s anxiety, there is more and more research coming online that suggests it may be an effective tool to help mitigate your pup’s reaction to stress and anxiety.

If you’ve got an anxious pup and want to learn more about how CBD can help them, we recommend getting in touch with your veterinarian and discussing options. Because they know your dog, their medications, and drug interactions, they should be able to provide you with a personalized recommendation for your frazzled fur-baby.

If you’re using CBD to treat your cat, the right dose for your cat can deviate from the norm. This short post is intended to help you figure out how to find the right dose for your cat and how to adjust that dose safely.

Determining the Right CBD Dose for Your Cat

Your cat’s first CBD dose should be based on its weight. We recommend starting your cat on 1mg of CBD for every 5 pounds your cat weighs. For example, if you’re cat weighs 15lbs, start your cat on 3mg of CBD.

Make sure that your dosage schedule is consistent, too, meaning if you decide to give your cat their dose once a day with breakfast, try to stick to this schedule. With CBD, consistency is king.

Stick with this initial dosage schedule for the first two weeks and monitor your cat for any unwanted side effects.

Adjusting Your Cat’s Dose

If, after two weeks, your cat’s CBD is not providing the benefits you were hoping for, feel free to adjust the dosage. Please abide by the few rules of thumb below when adjusting your cat’s dose.

Identify your goal: What are you trying to address with CBD and your cat? Having a clear goal of what type of behavior or condition you are trying to address is helpful.

Go slow: Increase (or decrease) the dose by small increments every few days until you achieve your desired effect.

Observe and take notes: After giving your cat CBD, note their behavior and physical responses. If you don’t notice any adverse side effects, you can continue to adjust the dose.

Consult your veterinarian: If you’re having some trouble finding the right dose for your cat, we recommend checking in with your vet. They’ll have more context about your situation and can help make recommendations about the strength of your cat’s dose and timing.

Too Much CBD

It is possible to give your cat too much CBD. While in the observation stage of dosing your cat, you’ll want to watch for a few tell-tale signs of too much CBD. They include:

Lethargy
Upset stomach
Changes in appetite
Lack of coordination

If you notice your cat exhibiting these signs, stop giving them CBD and contact your vet for further instruction. In the meantime, let your cat rest and give them plenty of water— they’ll be back to their regular self in a day or so.

Choosing the Right CBD for Your Cat

When looking for a CBD product for your cat, you’ll want to stick with products formulated specifically for pets. These formulations are less potent than human CBD products and easier to dose accurately.

Once you’ve found a pet formulation that you want to try, make sure that you find products that are third-party tested and made with human-quality ingredients.

Conclusion

CBD can be a massively helpful supplement for helping manage your cat’s various conditions and behaviors, but the key will be appropriate, accurate, and consistent dosing.

Be sure to consult your vet before starting your cat on CBD. They will always have the best recommendations for you and your cat.

The quarter-century mark, 2025, looms large, but that doesn’t mean we’re slowing down here at Sunset Lake CBD. We still have plenty of lovely gifts to ship out to y’all.

However, we do find it nice to reflect not only on all the great feedback we’ve had this year from our awesome customers but also on some of the initiatives we were able to support this year.

Without further adieu, let’s recap our charitable contributions from this past year.

Last Prisoner Project – $7,192.86

We teamed up with the Last Prisoner Project again this year during our 4/20 sale. As a farm that grows and makes money in the hemp and cannabis space, it still frustrates us that people are behind bars for cannabis offenses. (C’mon Joe, start commuting sentences en masse.)

As a nonprofit, the Last Prisoner Project runs so many programs that we appreciate, the biggest being direct commissary support and post-release grants for folks who are unjustly imprisoned for cannabis use.

Check out this organization and consider donating during our checkout process. This year, we added a round-up feature that allows you to round up your purchase to the nearest dollar. All proceeds from this tool go directly to LPP! We’ve raised $2,192.86 since late August because of your roundups!

RAR Champlain Valley – $415

RAR stands for Radical Adventure Riders and is near and dear to our Director of Operations, Kelly! The organization organizes bike rides, backpacking trips, and community-building for femme, trans, women, and non-binary (FTWNB) folks.

When she asked us for a donation to help support her local chapter of RAR, we enthusiastically said yes. Our donation helped support ongoing programming and helped purchase some supplies for the local chapter.

Green Up Vermont – $3,000

Let us fill you in if you’re unfamiliar with Vermont’s special environmental holiday. Green Up Day is held on the first Saturday in May and is administered by Green Up Vermont. It’s a weekend holiday that you spend picking up trash and beautifying your neighborhood.

Great, huh?

That’s why this year, we donated to the Green Up Vermont and became one of the holiday’s official sponsors. Not only did we get our logo on the official Green Up trash bags, but we also cleaned the heck out of our farm and surrounding community.

UNRWA – $1,000

UNRWA stands for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

This year, with help from our friends at The Majority Report, we donated $5 from each sale made during election night to UNRWA’s Gaza Emergency Appeal and Lebanon’s Emergency Appeal. Our donation went towards getting necessities into the hands of displaced Palestinian and Lebanese families.

Politics aside, we believe that what’s happening in Palestine, Lebanon, and now Syria is wrong, and we feel it’s our duty both as individuals and as a company to do whatever we can to staunch the suffering.

Vermont Foodbank – $2,500

We didn’t tie in a donation to our Black Friday sale this year.

Instead, we cut a check to Vermont Foodbank. It’s our home state of Vermont’s largest hunger relief organization and the only food bank providing food through a network of more than 300 community partners.

Yes, we could’ve purchased a stockpile of nonperishable items and donated them to our local food shelf, but the Vermont Foodbank can stretch that money further and help the 40% of neighbors who experienced food insecurity last year.

Vermont Public Radio – $16,680

We’re staying local with this next donation. Equitable access to information, news, and weather is incredibly important. All of the native Vermonters who now work here at Sunset Lake CBD grew up listening to Vermont public radio. Our parents listened and donated, and now we’re able to listen to donate.

VPR provides great local coverage that most Vermonters can access for free. We couldn’t be happier being an underwriter once again.

Key Takeaways

Cats are more sensitive to THC than humans and can more easily suffer the consequences of overdose if not careful.
Full-spectrum CBD products are a safer option for your cat than THC products.
If you suspect that your cat has consumed too much THC, call your vet immediately.

Continue reading “THC Dosing For Cats: What’s A Safe Amount?”

Giving your cat CBD oil can be tricky. For one, most cats don’t appreciate it when you stick a glass dropper in their mouths, and two, the bitter taste leaves a bit to be desired. Rest assured, though, CBD’s benefits are worth the hassle.

In this guide, we’ll take you through giving your cat CBD oil and make the process as painless as possible. Continue reading “How to Give Your Cat CBD Oil in 5 Easy Steps”

Key Takeaways

CBD is non-fatal. Your dog will not be able to take a fatal dose of CBD.
You can give your dog too much CBD, though. When this happens, they will most likely want to sleep it off.
Other side effects from too much CBD are generally mild and short-lived, but you’ll want to keep an eye on your dog nonetheless.

One of the questions we field at Sunset Lake comes from concerned pet parents. While they have heard CBD can help their dogs in so many ways, they want to know if their dog can overdose on CBD.

It’s a fair question. CBD is a relatively (and unregulated) substance in the wellness space. In this post, we’ll talk about CBD overdosing, what side effects your dog might experience if you give them too much, and what you can do if you suspect your dog might’ve taken too much.

Can Dogs Overdose on CBD?

The term “overdose” is a bit scary, but let’s first divorce it from the intent. When folks ask if a dog can overdose on CBD, what they really want to know is: Can CBD be fatal for dogs? The answer is no. As far as we know, CBD is not fatal to dogs. CBD is a non-lethal cannabinoid, and there have been no recorded deaths attributed to CBD overdose.

However, you can give your dog too much CBD, so yes, dogs can overdose on CBD. Giving your dog too much CBD can result in mild to moderate side effects like upset stomach, lethargy, diarrhea, and even dizziness.

Signs of a “CBD Overdose”

So what happens if you accidentally give your dog too much CBD? Most likely, your dog will just sleep it off. Drowsiness is one of the most common side effects (or desired effect, depending on your perspective).

However, giving your dog too much CBD can also cause the following side effects,

Lethargy: Your dog may seem sluggish and generally uninterested.
Diarrhea: CBD can also cause some gastrointestinal distress in your dog. This side effect is more common with CBD oils as carrier oils may contain additional ingredients and additives.
Vomiting: The gastrointestinal distress mentioned also manifests itself as vomiting in your dog.
Labored or rapid breathing: This side effect is uncommon, but CBD has been known to elevate heart rates when administered in extreme doses. This can turn into rapid, shallow breathing in some dogs. If this occurs, keep your dog calm and speak to them reassuringly.

What to Do if You Gave Your Dog Too Much CBD

If you think you’ve given your dog too much CBD, stay calm. Most of the side effects, as we’ve mentioned, are mild and short-term. Just keep an eye on your dog, keep them calm, and let them sleep it off.

If, however, you notice that your dog’s conditions last for more than a day or they get worse hours after the dose of CBD, it’s a good idea to call your veterinarian. Based on what you’re seeing, the dosage of CBD you give your dog, and the added context they have about your dog, they’ll give you better advice.

Conclusion

CBD can be a great supplement for dogs, but like any alternative “medicine,” it’s important to use it responsibly and according to the directions. If you think you’ve given your dog too much, don’t panic, as your dog will be able to sense your shift in mood.

Most of the time, your dog will want to sleep off big doses of CBD. Let them, and adjust accordingly for next time.