September 1, 2025
The fast-evolving regulatory landscape for cannabis-derived products is now turning a focused eye toward the animal sector. In 2025, significant federal action from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signals a new era of oversight for pet CBD and cannabis-infused veterinary products. If you operate or invest in animal health, pet CBD, or veterinary drug channels, staying ahead of these regulatory pivots is critical for compliance and commercial success.
On January 16, 2025, the FDA published a request for information (RFI) in the Federal Register, inviting public and industry stakeholders to comment on cannabis-derived products in veterinary use. Open through Spring 2025 and detailed in Docket FDA-2025-N-0001, this move marks a historic step toward formalizing policies for veterinary cannabinoids—including hemp-derived CBD—across the United States.
The current RFI specifically asks for:
The FDA’s intent: fill the significant data gaps around safety, effectiveness, and real-world use of CBD and related cannabinoids in animals. This could shape future guidance, compliance requirements, or even approval pathways as early as 2026.
The FDA continues to enforce the federal prohibition on the sale of unapproved CBD products labeled for animals. In June 2025, the agency issued a new round of warning letters to several manufacturers and retailers of CBD-infused pet items. These letters reiterate that:
Brands ignoring these requirements are at risk for enforcement actions—including product seizures, injunctions, and reputational damage.
Based on the momentum from the FDA’s 2025 veterinary cannabis docket, the rollout of new federal guidelines or enforcement clarifications is likely by early-to-mid 2026. Key elements stakeholders should anticipate:
FDA will likely require manufacturers to provide robust safety data for each animal species the product is intended for—especially for claims regarding chronic use or specific medical conditions. Compiling a safety dossier is essential for any business seeking long-term market access.
The agency expects CBD pet product manufacturers to operate under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) similar to those enforced for animal supplements or drugs. This includes:
Pet product brands should implement systems for capturing and investigating adverse events, reporting these findings if/when requested by FDA. With the expected regulatory tightening, robust pharmacovigilance could be a decisive factor in ongoing enforcement discretion.
Until formal federal approval channels are opened, making disease or drug-like claims for pet CBD products remains federally illegal. Marketers should ensure labeling focuses solely on general animal wellness, avoiding unapproved therapeutic assertions.
Businesses looking to thrive in the FDA veterinary CBD 2025 landscape must prioritize compliance and risk mitigation. Consider the following approaches:
Compile existing published research on animal safety, toxicity, and dosing of cannabinoids, supplementing with new data when possible. This will be the backbone of future product registrations.
Audit your production and quality assurance systems to ensure traceability, potency testing, and contaminant screening meet cGMP expectations. Gaps in manufacturing documentation could trigger FDA action.
Develop internal SOPs for receiving, documenting, and evaluating adverse reactions reported by pet owners or veterinary professionals. Being proactive in monitoring product effects demonstrates regulatory readiness.
Immediately remove disease or drug-related claims from all product labels, websites, and promotional materials. Ensure legal review aligns content with federal and state law.
Subscribe to FDA updates and veterinary industry news sources such as AVMA, NASC, and CannabisRegulations.ai to stay current on developments, comment periods, and emerging enforcement actions.
State veterinary regulations remain highly variable. While several states allow veterinarians to discuss or recommend CBD for animals, most defer to FDA’s lead on legality and product approval. Brands must:
No cannabis-derived animal products are federally approved as of late 2025. All sales are at risk of FDA enforcement, especially for products with drug claims.
The FDA is building its regulatory case for animal CBD proactively. Early compliance adoption by manufacturers will be rewarded when the rules harden in 2026.
Comprehensive safety dossiers, cGMP alignment, and pharmacovigilance are must-haves for brands seeking to avoid warning letters or market disruption.
Pet owners and veterinarians should exercise caution, seek products from reputable brands, and monitor for FDA/AVMA updates on legal use and reported side effects.
The door to lawful, regulated pet CBD products is opening, but the pathway demands scientific rigor and regulatory discipline. Stakeholders who respond to the FDA’s veterinary cannabis docket, contribute new safety data, and upgrade processes today will be best positioned to compete in the compliant animal CBD landscape of tomorrow.
Ready to navigate emerging FDA veterinary CBD 2025 regulations? Track every update and access comprehensive compliance resources at CannabisRegulations.ai—your trusted ally for cannabis industry regulatory intelligence.
