The Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) institutional animal care and use committee (protocol 1911-RES) granted approval for a study on CBD and daily life of dogs. All aspects of housing and care for the animals were conducted in strict accordance with the Animal Welfare Act, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th ed.), and all relevant LMU protocols. First, let’s discuss the study to establish differences between lab and home settings in observing results for domestic pets.
For this study, a total of thirty neutered adult dogs were included, consisting of 15 males and 15 females. The dogs ranged in age from 9 months to 4 years old and had an average weight of 17.6 ± 3.4 kg. They were of various mixed breeds, including terrier, hound, Bassett, shepherd, border collie, husky, cur, lab, boxer, and pug mixes. These dogs were obtained from a local shelter and brought to the LMU DeBusk Veterinary Teaching Center (DVTC) specifically for this research. The shelter was informed in advance and gave consent for the dogs to be used in the study. The shelter was also requested to provide dogs with a weight range of 16 ± 4 kg.
Before the experiment began, each dog underwent a thorough evaluation process. This included a complete blood count (CBC) and serum chemistry analysis conducted by IDEXX Laboratories. Additionally, a veterinarian performed a physical examination on each dog, and a fecal examination was conducted to ensure that there were no underlying diseases that would prevent their participation in the study.
Dogs were excluded from the study if they displayed serious behavioral issues, such as extreme fear or aggression towards humans, or if they were severely underweight or overweight. Dogs with a body condition score below 2 or above 4 on a five-point scale were also excluded. Furthermore, any dogs with underlying diseases that required more than routine treatments, such as heartworm infection, metabolic or infectious diseases, or mobility issues, were not included in the study. In total, six dogs were excluded, three due to positive heartworm tests and three due to behavioral concerns. The remaining 24 dogs (12 males, 12 females, 9 months to 4 years old) were selected to participate in the study.
Throughout the study, the dogs were housed individually in cages measuring 1.2 × 1.8 meters. These cages were located within one of two dog kennels at the LMU DVTC. To meet the daily energy requirements of neutered adult dogs at maintenance, they were fed Purina Pro Plan EN Gastroenteric Fiber Balance Dry Dog Food (Nestle Purina Inc., St. Louis, MO). The amount of food was calculated based on the formula. The dogs were given two meals per day. Their weight and body condition were monitored weekly using a five-point scale and their diets were adjusted accordingly.
Researchers used a randomized complete block design with three treatment groups. The CBD used was a component of a proprietary industrial hemp extract (AgTech Scientific, Paris, KY) that was incorporated into treats. The dogs received two treats daily, with each treat containing half of the daily CBD dose. Both the control and CBD treats were made with chicken, chicken liver, Asian carp, catfish, and, in the case of CBD treats, industrial hemp extract. While CBD was the main component of the extract, there were trace amounts of THC in the LOW and HIGH treatments.
The treats were formulated to provide CBD doses of 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg BW/day for the LOW and HIGH treatments, respectively, based on an estimated average weight of 16 kg for the dogs. The LOW dose was chosen based on previous research that used a similar dose to study the pharmacokinetics of CBD and its potential to relieve pain in dogs with osteoarthritis. The dosage was then doubled to that dose in achieving the HIGH dosage. We’ll discuss results in the next blog post.