The Potential of Cannabidiol for Treating Canine Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis is prevalent in humans (hAD) and dogs (cAD) and profoundly impacts the patients' quality of life. The increasing number of new drugs in development for atopic dermatitis indicates both the need and potential for precision medicine to generate an optimised benefit-risk therapeutic plan. Cannabidiol (CBD), known for its potential anti-inflammatory and antipruritic properties, shows promise in hAD and cAD management, prompting the exploration of cannabinoids (CBs) and CBD as therapeutic tools. In fact, encouraging results on the benefits of using CBD in cAD have been published, along with safety evaluations that reveal that CBD is generally well tolerated in dogs. However, limited placebo-controlled trials and dosage variations in dogs pose barriers that hinder definitive conclusions. Challenges in product stability, inconsistent formulations, and legal ambiguities highlight the need for standardised CBD-based products for both research and commercial uses. The complex legal landscape further complicates accessibility and regulation. Despite these challenges, CBD is emerging as a potential avenue for cAD management, urging further high-quality research, standardised formulations, and legal clarity. This brief review provides valuable insights into the therapeutic potential of CBs and CBD in cAD, compared to hAD, emphasising the importance of rigorous research and unambiguous regulation for successful integration into veterinary dermatology.

Keywords: CBD; canine atopic dermatitis; cannabidiol; cannabis; veterinary medicine.

Figure 1

A schematic representation of the CB receptors in the skin, inspired by the diagram by Baswan et al., 2020 [9]. The receptors marked with * have been found in dog skin [31,32]. Although CBD does not appear to have a strong affinity for CB1 and CB2 receptors, it may play a role in other cutaneous CB receptors. CBD may also have an effect by increasing the binding of endocannabinoids (AEA and 2-AG) to CB receptors, including CB1 and CB2, an effect known as the “entourage” effect. CB1 and CB2: cannabinoid receptor 1 and cannabinoid receptor 2; GPR55: G protein-coupled receptor 55; PPARα: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α; TRPV-1: vanilloid receptor 1; TRPA-1: transient receptor potential ankyrin 1; 5-HT1aR: serotonin 1A receptor. Created in BioRender. Fernandes, B. (2025). Available online: https://BioRender.com/o61s214 (accessed on 31 January 2025).