CBD for pets shows lots of promise. CBD oil provides a holistic solution for pets to deal with a wide variety of health and wellness needs. In this article, you can learn more about the connection between CBD and pets, and how you can utilize the substance for your furry friend.
Pets and Humans: How are They Different?
It’s very important to understand the effect that CBD oil has on a pet’s body, compared to a human’s body. Most animals have an endocannabinoid system. Just like with humans, an animal’s endocannabinoid system plays a hand in regulating their body’s many different functions. As their body changes and grows, their endocannabinoid system makes adjustments as needed and ensures that everything stays in working order. Each type of animal reacts to CBD oil differently. To ensure that CBD oil is used in the most beneficial manner possible, it all depends on making sure that the dosage is the right amount for your pet to ensure the best pain management possible with as little side-effects as possible.
What Illnesses Can CBD Oil Help?
CBD oil can help your pet with a variety of different health and wellness needs including:
1. Anxiety
CBD oil can help your pet calm down during stressful situations. Pets can experience anxiety for many different reasons including being away from their owner, hearing a loud noise, or getting into a vehicle.
For example, here are some anxiety symptoms to look out for in dogs:
– Excessive shaking and panting
– Hiding
– Seeking comfort/affection
– Excessive licking or chewing
– Excessive barking or howling
– Aggression
2. Cancer
Studies have shown that CBD oil helps with the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment. The oil can help with the pain and inflammation that comes with tumors. CBD oil can help diminish nausea and vomiting as well. The usage of CBD can help transform this painful experience of cancer into a more manageable one.
3. Inflammation/Pain Relieving
Many humans across the nation use CBD oil as a pain reliever, and with pets, it’s no different. Studies have shown that CBD oil can interrupt the pain receptors in your dog’s brain so they can live healthier lives. Additionally, using CBD oil can help reduce the inflammation that’s causing the pain that they’re experiencing. CBD oil works so well that scientists are currently considering it as a brand new class of drug for treating chronic pain.
4. Epilepsy
Some scientists estimate that up to 5% of dogs experience epilepsy. These dogs are often prescribed regular medications such as phenobarbital and potassium bromide. Even though these medications may help your pet control their seizures, they may experience negative side-effects, as well. A pet’s epilepsy medication can cause some serious damage to their liver and organs. Sometimes, despite all of the side-effects, the drugs don’t even work. CBD oil provides a safer way to treat your pet’s seizures and epilepsy.
5. Allergies/Skin Conditions
Does your dog scratch or lick themselves excessively, or in a certain area? If they do, an allergy or a skin condition may be to blame. Just like humans, pets can be allergic to something specific or be dealing with an internal issue that’s causing the skin condition. One of the ways that you can identify those skin conditions is to do a physical examination of your dog. For example, you could physically check for sores on your dog’s body and check out your dog’s fur to see if they’re dealing with some sort of rash. CBD oil provides a natural solution for helping your pet deal with a skin condition or an allergy.
Studies have shown that CBD oil can help relieve itching and dry skin. Also, it’s a better long-term choice for your dog to utilize than other medications or creams that your veterinarian may introduce to you.
What Type of CBD Medicine Should You Give Your Pet?
When choosing from the wide variety of CBD medicine available, it’s important to understand what’s going to be the best choice for your pet. Most CBD medicine for pets come in a type of oil. This liquid is going to be the best option for your pet because you can easily measure the correct dosage. Also, when CBD oil is taken through the mouth, it’s more easily absorbed throughout the body.
Vaporized or smoked cannabis, on the other hand, should never be given to your pet. This can damage your pet’s respiratory system and may lead to an overdose. Also, you shouldn’t give your pet edibles that were specifically made for humans either. With edibles, it’s nearly impossible to control the dosage for your pet. These edibles may also contain ingredients that are toxic for pets, such as chocolate.
Choosing the Right CBD Medication for Your Pet
One of the most important deciding factors of choosing the right CBD medication for your pet is ensuring the dosage is correct and maintaining the levels of CBD and THC. Which option is right for your pet, is going to depend on the type of pain that they’re experiencing and how severe the pain is. Oil with high levels of CBD compared to THC is utilized for mild to moderate pain. For example, issues such as arthritis or back pain are going to be treated well with this type of CBD medication. CBD medications with even levels of CBD and THC are going to work well with moderate levels of pain. Medications with a high level of THC are going to work well with severe pain, including cancer pain, nerve pain, and advanced arthritis.
Each kind of CBD oil is going to affect your pet in different ways. But, remember that the main goal is to ensure that your pet is as pain-free as possible while experiencing as little side effects as possible.
What’s the Right Dosage for my Pet?
With THC, you want to deliver 0.2-0.6 mg THC per 10 pounds of body weight twice daily. In every case, be sure to start low and slowly increase the dosage every four to seven days. You can always work your way back up if need be. If there are any side effects including loss of balance, sedation or loss of mental sharpness, lower the dosage or stop administering the CBD oil as soon as possible.
With CBD, you want to deliver 0.5-5 mg CBD per 10 pounds of body weight twice daily. Be sure to start low, and slowly increase the dosage every four to seven days. To stay as effective as possible, try to deliver frequent doses near the lower end of the range. Depending on the circumstances, higher doses may be beneficial to use.
Before trying to figure out the right dosage for your pet on your own, please talk with your pet’s veterinarian in order to get a professional’s opinion on their health and wellness needs.
Things to Look for When Purchasing CBD
Below, are some factors to keep in mind when purchasing CBD oil for your pet.
1. Before anything else, you want to make sure that the product that you are buying has CBD in it. There are many products, especially throughout the Internet, that claim to be “hemp-infused” or “hemp-based” but they aren’t. Be sure to do your research on these companies beforehand to ensure that the product that you buy has exactly the ingredients that you think it does. For example, a great way to check is to see if the product has been tested by a 3rd party laboratory. This is essentially the only way of being sure of the amount of CBD that’s in the product. These lab results should be readily available on the company’s website. But the company may only give out these lab results if you already purchased the product or if you reach out to them specifically. If the company that you’re looking to purchase from doesn’t have those lab results, then you need to think twice about ordering a product from them.
2. Administering an improper dosage to your pet could lead to side-effects as serious as excessive nausea and vomiting. Be sure to start low whenever you’re using CBD oil as you can always increase the dosage amount later if needed. But the key is to give them the lowest dosage possible to see if you see some noticeable changes.
3. If you can, be sure to ask for the help of a professional veterinarian as you help your pet through their CBD journey. If you can find a veterinarian that has experience in administering CBD oil, that’s even better. Having that extra support is great and can help you find the right dosage and type of CBD oil for your favorite furry friend at a faster rate.
CBD oil is a great holistic choice for helping your pet with their health and wellness needs. Be sure to explore your options when it comes to CBD oil, and you may give your pet a chance at better health in a safe and healthy way.
If you still have questions regarding CBD for pets, please ask our CBD community.