Japan—Researchers are looking into CBD as an anti-epileptic dietary supplement in dogs, according to acase study published in Pet Behavior Science.

The paper notes that controlling epilepsy in dogs requires the lifelong use of anti-epileptic drugs, which, while successful, have a laundry list of undesirable side effects. CBD has an anti-anxiety effect, the paper says, which can reduce stress-induced seizures.

Chie Mogi and Takaaki Fukuyama, both with the Yamazaki University of Animal Health Technology in Japan, performed case studies on three dogs with epileptic seizures. They administered CBD for 8 weeks. Two dogs saw a decrease in seizures and in symptoms; one dog was unchanged.

The paper concludes by noting that the “considerable” improvement of two of the dogs suggests that this treatment has potential. That said, it adds, the size of the study and the fact that the mechanism by which CBD affects seizures has not yet been determined mean that further research is required before it can be determined whether or not CBD is a useful treatment.