PORTLAND, Maine – CBD pet wellness company ElleVet Sciences announced results from a study of twenty-nine hemp pet products.
The study was conducted in partnership with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Professor Dr. Joe Wakshlag and ProVerde Laboratories. The resulting CBD pet product report was published in the journal, Veterinary Medicine: Research and Report.
Report data showed:
- Only ten of the twenty-nine products tested were within 10 percent of the CBD concentration stated on their label.
- Heavy metal contamination was found in four out of twenty-nine products, and only eighteen products were labeled accurately and in accordance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) supplement guidelines.
“There are many companies out there trying to jump on the CBD bandwagon, but the reality is that their products may not help your dog at all,” Dr. Wakshlag said in a press release. “Consumers deserve to know that what they are getting is right for their dog, what is actually in the product, and if the dosing is appropriate and safe for their pets.”
Though hemp and hemp products were decriminalized with passage of the Farm Act of 2018, the FDA has not yet created standards and regulations specifically for hemp or infused CBD products.
Research and clinical trials for CBD and other cannabinoids, as well as medicinal CBD and CBD-infused wellness products, have been delayed by hemp’s illegal status prior to 2018; now, researchers are working to document data that will contribute to standards and guidelines.
“Pet owners often believe they are getting a good price and a good product, but unfortunately they are not getting either,” ElleVet Chief Executive Officer Christian Kjaer added. “The labeling on hemp products for pets can be confusing, and in some cases very misleading. At ElleVet, we want to create a standard for dosing, and provide accurate information for pet owners so they can choose a high-quality product for their animal.”
Until more research and data is established, veterinarians in the U.S. are also very limited in their ability to advise pet owners on the use of CBD formulations. Official guidelines from pet health-related organizations, like the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB), typically focus on the legal aspects of the veterinarian-owner relationship, or how to tell if a pet has ingested too much cannabis.
In its January 2020 guidelines, the VMB advised veterinarians asked about “cannabis” or hemp products for pet treatment to point out to clients, “the variability of quality, source, safety, and testing of cannabis products (pesticide contamination, potentially harmful co-ingredients, e.g., xylitol, chocolate, butter).”
The VMB also cautioned, “no federal or state agency oversees standardization of animal cannabis product concentrations.”
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health advised on cannabis- and hemp-infused pet product formulations and said, “There is currently no way to guarantee the purity of the ingredients in cannabis products, as there is no government organization overseeing the quality control of these products.”