Sunset Lake CBD
Farmer Owned | Vermont Grown
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 comes in two forms:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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:
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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”
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
So you’ve just dosed your dog with CBD and are now wondering: How long does CBD take to affect dogs? Well, you’re in the right place. We’ll answer that question and discuss how long you can expect the effects of canine CBD to last.
The time between dosing your dog with CBD and seeing any effect can vary based on a few factors. On average, dog owners should expect to wait between 30 minutes to 2 hours after they give their dog CBD to see any effect.
However, we should note that there is a difference between seeing CBD’s short-term effects vs. seeing longer-term benefits. Longer-term benefits like a more stable mood, greater sociability, and improved mobility may not be realized until your dog has taken CBD consistently for a few days.
There are a handful of factors that will affect how fast CBD starts to work for your dog. The most common are,
Once you’ve dosed your dog with CBD, the effects can last anywhere between 4 to 12 hours, depending on a few things.
If you found this post because you’re concerned about giving your dog too much CBD, don’t panic: Dogs cannot fatally overdose on CBD. The worst side effects that they’ll experience are mild and short-term. Most of the time, you should just let them sleep it off.
Some dog owners wonder how they’ll be able to tell when the CBD kicks in. While you won’t be able to gauge longer-term benefits after a dose, there are some signs that your dog is feeling their dose:
How often you give your dog, CBD will depend on their condition. For stressful situations (like firework displays or thunderstorms), give your dog CBD as needed, preferably an hour before the stressful event if possible.
If you’re using CBD to manage your dog’s existing long-term condition, you may want to consider twice-daily doses. Try to maintain a schedule and be consistent. Maybe you put their dose of CBD on their dry food. If your dog is a picky eater, you may want to consider making CBD oil for them. Your goal should be to keep the level of CBD in their body consistent.
When you first start your dog on CBD, be aware of how their body reacts to their dose. If they seem overly sleepy or have gastrointestinal stresses that don’t seem to clear up on their own, you may want to lower their dose. If problems persist, consult with your dog’s veterinarian.
CBD is generally regarded as safe to use for dogs. Stick with CBD products designed and developed for pet use and follow the use directions on the packaging.
You sure can. Many dogs would benefit from daily CBD doses, especially for conditions that affect mobility and seizures. A regular dosing schedule will help to keep the levels in your dog’s system steady.
Dogs cannot fatally overdose on CBD. However, giving your dog too much CBD can lead to some side effects like lethargy, upset stomach, dry mouth, and, in more serious cases, dizziness and labored breathing.
If you’ve got a picky pup, try mixing some of their CBD oil in with another healthy fat. Many dogs go crazy for salmon oil and peanut butter— both of which can be mixed with oil. If your dog doesn’t like their CBD oil, you can try mixing it into something they do like!
Idiopathic epilepsy is one of the most common neurological canine diseases that affects almost 5% of dogs. It’s characterized by seizures with no apparent cause. If your dog experiences seizures, you know how distressing it can be and how hard it is to find a natural alternative to treat your dog’s epilepsy.
One of the most promising alternatives that has emerged in recent years is using CBD oil to help manage your dog’s seizures. In this post, we’ll discuss using CBD to manage your dog’s seizures, how to give your dog CBD oil, and how to find a reputable product for your epileptic pup.
CBD oil is an oil infused with cannabidiol, a naturally occurring compound in hemp plants. Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive and is safer for your dog because it won’t make them intoxicated or cause THC toxicity.
Generally, CBD oil is a mix of concentrated hemp extract and a carrier oil. The most common carrier oils in the CBD industry are,
Research into CBD oil for canine seizures is still ongoing, but there are a few studies that have suggested that CBD may be effective in reducing both the frequency and intensity of seizures. Here’s how we believe CBD may help manage seizures in dogs,
If you’ve decided to use CBD oil to manage your dog’s seizures, you’ll want to be conscious about the dosing and how your dog responds to their dose.
We have a few recommendations for new CBD users:
These are just guidelines, though. If you want personalized advice, you need to consult your veterinarian. Only they can tell you how much CBD is appropriate, when to dose your dog, and if CBD oil interacts with any other seizure medications your dog is on.
The time it takes for CBD to “work” can vary depending on a few factors, including your dog’s weight, age, and the severity of their seizures. Some dogs will experience some benefits on their first day of CBD. For other dogs, results may not come until after a few days of continual consistent use.
If you’re wondering how to find the best CBD oil for your dog’s seizures, we’ve got some tips for you. Here are some things you’ll want to look for,
While CBD for dogs is generally considered safe, it can interact with certain medications and alter their effectiveness. Your vet may help you incorporate CBD into your dog’s treatment plan.
CBD will not cure your dog’s epilepsy, unfortunately. You may be able to use CBD to help your dog reduce the number and severity of their seizures, but it will not eliminate their seizures.
Yes, CBD is considered safe for long-term use. A study published in March 2024 found that over 13 years, CBD was tolerated well by 32 test dogs.4
It’s best to stick with CBD products designed for pet use. Human CBD oils aren’t designed with pets in mind and can be more potent, contain flavorings, and have higher THC levels that aren’t safe for dogs.
That said, we recommend that if you have a large dog breed, check out our 750mg Full Spectrum CBD Oil Tincture rather than our 600mg Pet Oil. The step up in concentration is modest, and if you have a dog that weighs over 100 pounds, the 750mg tincture will be friendly to your budget.
Puppies with epilepsy will tolerate CBD oil well, but to be safe, please consult your veterinarian first.
Most CBD oils do not need to be refrigerated. You should store them in a cool, dark place to protect the carrier oil from spoiling and prevent any loss of cannabinoids to UV light.
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