The unexpected background behind Aponia — and why it matters.
I get the question a lot. Usually phrased politely — "So, you're a vet... and you make CBD for people?" Sometimes less politely. The implication is always the same: what does a veterinary surgeon know about human wellness products?
The answer is: more than you'd expect. And in some ways, more than a doctor.
Veterinary surgeons study the same pharmacology, biochemistry, and physiology as medical doctors. The same drug mechanisms. The same receptor systems. The same metabolic pathways. The endocannabinoid system — the biological network that CBD interacts with — is present in all mammals. I didn't learn about it from a blog post. I studied it as part of a five-year degree, and I've worked with it clinically for 25 years.
The difference is that vets have to understand these systems across species. A drug that's safe in a dog can kill a cat. A dose that works for a horse is lethal for a pony half its size. You develop a deep respect for pharmacokinetics — how compounds are absorbed, distributed, metabolised, and excreted — because getting it wrong has immediate, visible consequences.
I didn't set out to start a CBD brand. I set out to find a CBD oil I could recommend — to friends, to family, to anyone who asked. I couldn't find one.
The products I tested were, by and large, disappointing. Isolate dissolved in cheap MCT oil, sold as "full spectrum." Lab reports that were months old — or missing entirely. Concentrations that didn't match the label. Synthetic terpenes added to make isolate taste like whole-plant extract. Marketing copy written by people who clearly hadn't read the primary research they were citing.
I have 25 years of clinical experience evaluating evidence and making decisions under uncertainty. I know what a well-made consumer product backed by sound formulation looks like. Most of what's on the CBD market doesn't qualify.
So I made one that does.
In the CBD industry, "formulated by experts" usually means a marketing team consulted someone with a relevant-sounding qualification to review their label copy. That's not what happened here.
I specified the extraction parameters. I selected the carrier oil — hemp seed, not MCT coconut oil — because it preserves the bioavailability of the plant compounds. I chose the concentration and rejected the industry practice of offering five "strengths" that are just the same extract diluted to different levels. I established the testing protocol: every batch, independently tested by a European laboratory, with a certificate of analysis included in every order.
These aren't decisions a marketing team would make. Several of them are decisions a marketing team would actively argue against — fewer SKUs means fewer upsell opportunities. Per-batch testing is expensive. Hemp seed carrier oil is more costly than MCT. But they're the right decisions if your priority is making a good product rather than maximising margin.
Would I give this to my own family? That's the test. Not "will this sell?" or "can we justify this claim?" but "would I recommend this to someone I care about?"
It's the same standard I apply in clinical practice, every day. And it's the reason Aponia exists: a single CBD oil, made properly, by someone who understands what "properly" means.
If you have questions about the oil, the science, or CBD in general — email me directly at sales@aponiacbd.co.uk. I read every message personally.
Alastair Greenway MRCVS
Founder, Aponia CBD
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