Dog owners turn to CBD oil to calm pets during fireworks

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Fourth of July can be an anxious time for a lot of dogs because of the pops and booms that sometimes can last all night.

“Anxiety, he runs around, he hides under the bed, even for fireworks and thunderstorms sometimes he’s incontinent, so it gets really, really bad,” said Chris Serna, a dog owner.

Serna says he's tried everything to soothe his anxious dog. 

“I’ve tried thunder jackets, the jackets that hug really tight – it doesn’t seem to work,” said Serna. “I’ve tried to drown everything out turning the stereo and TV up, the air conditioner’s full blast, the fan's full blast, I mean he’s a dog, he can still hear it.”

Now, Serna and a lot of other dog moms and dads are trying something different: CBD oil, in either drops or treats. Those who have used it say their dogs are simply happier.

“It seems to calm them down and not get so worked up,” said Denise Loehr, of Calm Waters CBD. “They may have a little stress still, but it’s not to that point of just panic. It relieves that point of fight and flight situation.”

CBD oil is not FDA approved and because of that veterinarians will not typically not tell pet owners to use it. But for some dogs, it’s been a life changer. 

“It’s all derived from the hemp plant, so and all of our products are at zero percent THC, so they’re not going to have that intoxicating effect,” said Loehr.

So as the Independence Day celebrations light up the sky, some dogs will rest a little easier. 

Cats aren't typically as bothered by loud noises, but CBD oil is used on cats as well. There's a lot of uses for the oil besides anxiety, some say it also helps pets with arthritis and other issues.