Your pets are an important part of your family, so you always want to make sure they are healthy and happy. Like humans, pets can have a variety of health problems that prevent them from feeling their best. Hemp-based CBD oil may have your pets running, playing, and being their happy selves again.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid, a chemical compound found in the cannabis plant that interacts with the endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids attach to cannabinoid receptors in the body and help to regulate bodily functions such anxiety and pain. The Cannabis plant contains both CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), but CBD (cannabidiol) can be extracted from the hemp plant without the THC. THC can cause psychoactive effects, otherwise known as a “high” that is typically affiliated with marijuana. CBD products derived from Hemp are required to have a THC level under .03% in order to be consumed by the public. If you want to give your pets CBD, the CBD must be hemp-based.
For pets, CBD can be given in the form of edibles and oil tincture drops.
Research is still being done on how CBD works for pets. For example, dogs have an endocannabinoid system like humans do, but it is unknown, however, if CBD works the same with their endocannabinoid systems than it does with ours. The effects on CBD have mainly been studied on dogs. Many CBD products are formulated for both dogs and cats since they are the animals that people are most likely to keep as pets.
How may CBD help your pet with health conditions?
Anxiety– Has your dog ever hid under the bed during a particularly loud thunderstorm? Do they get nervous around people? CBD may help reduce feelings of anxiety in your pet.
Cancer– CBD may have anti-tumor effects. In dogs, it may work to kill cancerous cells and inhibit cancer cell growth. It can also be used in conjunction with other cancer treatments.
Epilepsy– CBD may reduce the seizures of epileptic pets. Almost 5% of all dogs have seizures. Medications used for epilepsy such as potassium bromide and phenobarbital can cause damage to their vital organs. A study published in June 2019 by the American Veterinary Medical Association showed a significant reduction in seizures in a group of 9 dogs over a period of 12 weeks. More research is needed, however, to see if higher doses than the ones used in the study would be more beneficial because the control group had similar numbers to the experimental group. Even though the results were not entirely conclusive, they still showed that the dog’s seizures did respond to CBD in some way.
Pain– CBD may be used to alleviate inflammation or pain in pets caused by arthritis (hip and joint pain), nerve damage, injuries, post-operative pain or injuries. The effects on CBD on dogs with osteoarthritis was studied in 2018 by the Frontiers of Veterinary Science group. Dogs were given 2 mg per 1 kg per body weight of CBD daily for 4 weeks, and results showed the dogs’ pain related to osteoarthritis decreased significantly. They had an increase in physical activity due to this decrease in pain.
Heart-health– CBD may be able to keep your pet’s heart healthy by decreasing high blood pressure and high heart rates, reducing damage to blood vessels.
Appetite Improvement– If your pet does not want to eat, CBD may help them get their appetite back. A pet may not want to eat if they were, for example, experiencing nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy.
Nervous System–CBD may has the potential to help spinal and nervous system issues. It might be able to stop brain cells from deterioration or death and improve symptoms in dogs that suffer these ailments.
Before giving CBD to your pets, it is important to visit with your local veterinarian to discuss if your pet would benefit from CBD. A perfectly healthy pet might not need to take CBD every day. CBD may also interact with medications your pets take. In addition, only high-quality CBD products should be given to your pets. CBD products that accidentally contain more than the .03% THC may be harmful to them. If pets consume high levels of THC, they may be subject to THC poisoning. Signs of THC poisoning in animals include trouble standing and walking, vomiting, lethargy, dilated pupils, vocalization, and a decrease in breathing. It would be best to find product that certify 0.0% of THC to be safe you are not putting your pet at risk.
When shopping for CBD products, make sure that you do not buy CBD products formulated for humans, only pet formulated products. Even with pet products, keep a close eye on ingredients that could be toxic for pets such as xylitol, a sugar-free sweetener that can be fatal for dogs.
Also, buy products that list the concentration of CBD per serving. Some companies may skip this step and only list the concentration per bottle instead of including a serving size that clarifies how much CBD is in every serving. Products that list the amount of CBD per serving make it easier to measure your pet’s dosage.
Looking for certification that the products are quality-made is important, too. Companies should be lab testing to ensure the products have quality ingredients, broad-spectrum/full-spectrum CBD, and very little THC (.03% or below). A company that does both in-house and third-party lab testing is ideal. The lab testing for a batch of products produces a Certification of Analysis (COA) that reports THC levels, Cannabinoid profile/potency, and the amount of heavy metals, pesticides, terpenes, and microbial impurities detected. Companies will either provide a link to a COA on their website or have one available for customers upon request.
For pet-owners looking to purchase quality CBD products for their four-legged friends, Tree of Life Seeds has pet oil tincture drops and pet chews available. Their pet drops contain 250 mg Phytocannabinoid-rich CBD oil per bottle and can help alleviate anxiety, pain, nausea, seizures and other symptoms your pet may have without making them sick from THC. The drops can be given to your pet by mouth or with food. The dosage for the pet drops depends on your pet’s weight. Here is a chart for measuring a dosage (1-2 times daily) for your pet:
¼ dropper up to 20 lbs.- 2.5 mg.
½ dropper up to 40 lbs.- 5 mg.
¾ dropper up to 60 lbs.- 7.5 mg.
1 dropper up to 80 lbs.- 10 mg.
If your pet would rather have their CBD in the form of an enticing treat, you could give them the CBD Oil Pet Chews. These chews are beef-flavored and contain 2 mg of CBD per chew and comes in a 120 mg bottle. The oil contained in the pet chews is nano-emulsified for maximum absorption, meaning that your pet gets the full benefits of CBD.