Pets CBD Drops: Your Owner's Guide

Start with the most important step: talk to your veterinarian before the first dose, especially if your pet takes any medication, is older, or has an ongoing condition. I formulate Proof's products and I can tell you what's in the bottle and what our guidance says. Only someone who knows your animal's weight, bloodwork and medication list can tell you whether it suits them. The FDA has not approved CBD for any use in animals and recommends that pet owners talk with their veterinarians (FDA).

At a glance

How to use it: our weight table

This is Proof's own guidance from the product page. It is a starting point to discuss with your vet, not a veterinary dosing standard; there isn't one yet for CBD in dogs or cats.

Our guidance is to start at the low end of the range for your pet's weight and hold there for several days to a week before adjusting. Cats are more sensitive, so start them at the very bottom of the range. The table gives the amount per serving; our guidance is to give it 1 to 2 times a day, starting with once, and to confirm the schedule with your vet.

Drops vs ml. The bottle holds 20 mg of CBD in every ml, so 0.25 ml is 5 mg, 0.5 ml is 10 mg and 1 ml is 20 mg. For pets under 10 lbs, the table counts single drops instead, because the amounts are so small: one drop is about 0.05 ml, or about 1 mg of CBD. The dropper is marked at 0.25 ml and 0.5 ml for the larger amounts. Draw the amount in good light, at eye level, before you go near your pet. If you can't measure the amount your vet suggests with the dropper, ask them how best to measure it.

Step by step:

1. Get your vet's okay and a starting amount.
2. Open the bottle and measure before your pet is in the room.
3. Give it the same way, at the same time of day, every day.
4. Write down what you see (see the log below).
5. After several days to a week, adjust once, if at all, and only within the table and your vet's advice.

Giving it to dogs and cats

The product page lists three ways: in food, on a snack, or directly by mouth. Our posts on how to give a dog CBD oil and how to give a cat CBD oil go through each method in detail, so here are the essentials:

• Use a small portion, not the full bowl. If your pet leaves a third of the bowl, you don't know how much it got. A spoonful you watch disappear is better.
• Mix it in properly rather than pooling it on top.
• By mouth, aim for the cheek pouch and go slowly. Never squirt toward the back of the throat.
• Check anything you mix it into. Some peanut and nut butters contain xylitol, which the FDA warns can have devastating effects on dogs (FDA).
• In a multi-pet home, give it separately so bowls don't get swapped.
• Never put it in the water bowl. You can't measure what gets drunk.

Dogs vs cats. Dogs range so widely in size that the weight table does real work. Cats are not small dogs: they process many substances differently, which is why a dog amount scaled down is not a cat amount. Go slower with a cat, change things in smaller steps, and involve your vet from the start. See CBD dosage for dogs and CBD dosage for cats.

Your first week: keep a log

The first dose isn't the test. A steady amount for a week tells you far more. Before you start, pick three or four things you can actually count or describe, and note them daily:

• the date, time and amount, and how you gave it
• how much of the food or snack was eaten
• sleep, appetite and energy compared with your pet's usual
• anything unusual, such as drowsiness, loose stools or a change in appetite

You are looking for changes from your own pet's baseline, and your memory isn't neutral, so write it down. Change one thing at a time: if you change the amount, the timing and the food in the same week, you won't know which one mattered. The same log idea for people is in your first 30 days with CBD.

For how long owners usually wait before judging, see how long CBD takes in dogs and in cats. No product can promise a result, including ours.

When to stop and call your vet

Stop giving the drops and call your veterinarian if you see:

• vomiting or diarrhea that doesn't settle
• a marked change in appetite or drinking
• unusual lethargy, wobbliness or disorientation
• anything else that worries you

These are reasons to speak to a professional, not to adjust the amount yourself. More is not better: if a sensible amount has done nothing noticeable after a fair trial, ask your vet rather than increasing on your own. Our posts on whether CBD is safe for dogs and for cats cover what's expected and what isn't.

Safety notes

Medications. CBD is processed by liver enzymes that also handle many common drugs, so ask your vet before starting if your pet takes anything. See CBD and your pet's medications.

Never give human CBD products. Human products are made for a much larger body, and some contain sweeteners or flavorings that aren't safe for pets. Read can I give my pet human CBD oil?

Never give anything with THC. Only give pets a product whose lab report shows THC as not detected. If your pet eats a THC product, such as an edible, call your vet or an emergency clinic right away. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is available 24/7 at (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply). Our guide on what to do if your pet ate THC walks through it.

Pregnant, nursing or very young animals. Talk to your vet first. See CBD for pregnant or nursing animals.

Unwell pets. A pet that is off its food or acting abnormally needs a vet visit first, not a new supplement.

Travel, storage and the bottle

• The cap. The bottle has a child-resistant cap. If it's being stubborn, here's how to open Proof drops. If you remove the child-resistant layer with that trick, the bottle no longer resists small hands or paws, so storage matters even more.
• Out of reach. Keep it in a closed cupboard, away from children and pets. Dogs chew bottles.
• Keep the dropper clean. Don't let it touch your pet's mouth or the food and then go back into the bottle.
• Cool and dark. Store it away from heat and sunlight. The expiry date and batch number are printed on the box, so keep it. Shelf life and signs a bottle has turned are in does CBD oil expire?
• Check the lab report for the product you're using. Here's how to read a pet CBD lab report.

Refills, subscriptions and returns

Subscribe & Save. Pet Drops are 15% off every 2 weeks ($29.75 an order), 10% off every month ($31.50), or 5% off every 6 weeks. Orders under $60, including single-bottle subscription orders, pay shipping. There's no commitment: modify, skip, pause or cancel at no charge in your Customer Account Portal. Details are on Subscribe & Save.

Returns. Every order carries our 30-day "No Regrets" money-back guarantee, counted from the delivery date (refund policy):

• Opened or used, and not right for your pet: no need to send it back. You get the full price minus a $5 processing fee; sales tax is not refunded. This applies to your first purchase of a specific product, for one unit.
• Unopened, in its tamper-evident packaging: a full refund including tax, minus the cost of the return label (about $5).
• Damaged or wrong item: send a photo and we will replace it or refund it in full.

Approved refunds go back to your original payment method within 10 business days. To start, contact us with your order number. We ship within the US only, and not to Montana (shipping policy).

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