The Food and Drug Administration is asking for comments from veterinarians and the broader public about the use of cannabis-derived products—in particular CBD—in animals. The agency wants to know more about usage trends, potential drug interactions, quality standards and other issues related to the veterinary use of cannabinoids.
The comment period opens on Thursday and ends on April 16, according to the FDA request for information (RFI) posting on the Federal Register this week.
“The focus of this RFI is on cannabidiol (CBD) products and other products derived from hemp,” the agency said in a release about the comment period. “The FDA is interested in general trends associated with these products, such as information about usage trends (e.g., product selection, indications, etc.), quality standards, benefits of use, potential drug interactions, adverse events and safety problems, and toxicological concerns.”
The input is meant to help inform the Center for Veterinary Medicine’s (CVM) “knowledge of potential safety signals associated with these products, in addition to aiding our understanding of veterinarians’ experiences related to the use of CDPs [cannabis-derived products] for their animal patients,” according to the RFI.
While comments can be submitted anonymously, the post says CVM “is particularly interested in input from practicing veterinarians, whose expertise and experience can help inform FDA regarding the use and effect of CDPs in animals.”
“FDA is gathering information relating to the use of CDPs in animals,” it continues, “with an emphasis on CBD products.”
Until April 16, FDA is seeking public comments, particularly from veterinarians, about use of cannabis-derived products (CDP) in animals. Your submissions can enhance our knowledge + improve FDA’s understanding of vets’ experiences with CDPs. For more: https://t.co/6A8kHJ0F4c. pic.twitter.com/bKMr7jgZ8S
— FDA CVM (Center for Veterinary Medicine) (@FDAanimalhealth) January 15, 2025
The RFI is focused primarily on low-THC hemp products, which have proliferated since the federal legalization of hemp through the 2018 Farm Bill, and as the result of CBD’s popularity among human consumers and medical patients.
“FDA has made the regulation of the CBD market a priority, including products marketed for animals,” the RFI says. “While there is some limited published information about use of CDPs in animals, significant data gaps exist surrounding many aspects of CBD and other CDPs in animals.”
Though no animal products containing CBD have been approved by FDA, the post notes that in some circumstances, veterinarians can lawfully prescribe drugs approved for human use—such as the purified CBD drug Epidiolex—to treat conditions in animals.
The agency also acknowledges that plenty of other, non-FDA-approved products are already widely available.
“Firms marketing CBD products for use in (non-human) animals often make claims regarding a wide variety of diseases or conditions. Some products are also purported to enhance general wellness and promote longevity,” the new RFI says. “Products are marketed in many different formulations, such as tinctures/oils, treats/chews, pellets for large animals, capsules, and sometimes as food toppers or infused in foods such as peanut butter; topical products infused with CBD, such as balms and shampoos, are also available for pets.”
“Products that are intended for use in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of diseases in animals,” the regulatory agency emphasizes, “are animal drugs.”
Among the questions FDA has for veterinarians include how clients discuss cannabis products. For example, it asks: “Do they generally distinguish between products derived from hemp versus those derived from marijuana (i.e., do they ask about hemp products, marijuana products, or do they not specify)? What brands (if known) and formulations or types of products do clients ask about (e.g., tinctures, treats, capsules, topical products, etc.)?”
The agency also wants to know whether veterinarians have prescribed or dispensed approved cannabinoid-based drugs—including Epidiolex or synthetics like Marinol, Syndros or Cesamet—in animal patients and, if so, the species and the condition the drug was meant to treat.
It also asks generally whether veterinarians recommend cannabinoid products to clients, encouraging them to elaborate on why or why not.
While none of the FDA questions in the new RFI ask directly about observed benefits from administering cannabinoid products to animals, they do ask for details of adverse effects as well as observed drug interactions. A few also ask specifically about questions or concerns veterinarians have about cannabis-derived treatments.
Since the legalization of hemp, FDA’s Cannabis Products Committee has worked to develop and implement cross-agency policies to regulate cannabis products, especially CBD. Some critics, however, have complained that the agency’s progress on that front has been slow.
Among veterinarians and pet owners alike, CBD has been growing in popularity. Last year, for example, the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) promoted a study that it said showed that CBD is “safe for long-term use” in dogs.
That study, also published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science, found that a variety of cannabinoids, including CBD, CBDA and CBG, were “well-tolerated” in healthy dogs at a dose of 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day.
“Cannabinoids were well tolerated when healthy male and female beagles were dosed for 90 consecutive days,” the study found. “Based on the data available it would be the conclusion of the authors that the substances do not pose significant risk to dogs in long-term use.”
A separate study last year of six cases of CBD given to dogs found that the cannabinoid may help counteract the ill effects of accidental THC consumption. The paper looked at six cases of “non-medical, presumptive THC toxicosis” in dogs. Five of those were treated exclusively with transmucosal CBD—sheets that dissolve on a dog’s inner lips or gums.
In less than an hour, all of the clinical signs of THC intoxication had been “noticeably reduced” in five of six cases, the study said. Clinical signs of toxicosis, meanwhile, were “completely resolved for three of six cases within 28 [hours] of CBD administration.”
Authors said reducing the cost of treating THC toxicosis is especially important given that cases of accidental marijuana exposure have been increasing in recent years and that the inability to afford emergency services is “a leading barrier to accessing veterinary care in both the United States and Canada.”
Another recent case study found that cannabis appears to be a “viable alternative” treatment option for dogs suffering from a common skin disease—especially if they experience adverse side effects from conventional steroid therapies.
A study published in early 2023 found that dogs that receive daily doses of CBD see “significant reductions” in stress and anxiety related to car travel.
Other studies have demonstrated benefits of CBD such as reduced frequency of seizures among dogs who receive the cannabinoid. And a study published in 2018 found that dogs with arthritis see improvements with CBD treatment.
Last August, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that cows that are fed hempseed cake retain very low concentrations of THC and CBD in their bodies, indicating that meat products from hemp-fed cattle are safe for human consumption.
Another federally funded study published in 2022 found that feeding cows hemp reduces their stress. Researchers have also looked into how CBD affects stress and pain in horses.
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