Isn’t owning a pet one of the best things in this world? They're the first to greet you at the door, they never cast any judgement even if you’re on your second bowl of ice cream, and they always find a way for you to never feel completely alone. So what happens when our loving, faithful pet companions begin struggling with a health condition?
We race to the nearest vet, and nervously wait to hear what the well-educated veterinarian suggests. But even highly qualified veterinarians don’t always have the most effective, or even less invasive, approach to certain health conditions.
Still, we take their word and administer the medications they prescribe, not knowing that while these medications can help treat certain health conditions like...
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Poor appetite
- Pain
- Sleep problems
- And more…
They can also cause a whole slew of unwanted side effects. And before you know it, you're not only treating your pet’s health condition, but now you’re treating the side effects from the prescription medications your pet is suffering from.
Why does it have to be so complicated? Well, it doesn’t have to be.
What a lot of pet owners don’t know is that there are more natural, less invasive alternatives available that have proven to be just as effective, if not more, than some prescription medications. And guess what? They don’t cause any harmful side effects either.
So what kind of medicinal, holistic supplements are best? Well, we’re glad you asked…
Say hello to CBD for pets!
If you’re scratching your head wondering… “I thought CBD was only for human consumption?”
Or… “What the heck is CBD?”
Well then, you’ve stumbled across the right article. By the time you finish reading, you’ll not only know what CBD is and how it can benefit your pet, but you’ll know which pet CBD products are best for your pet companion as well.
So without further ado, let’s get started…
What is CBD?
If you already know what CBD is, then you’re good to move onto our next topic. But if you’re new to the CBD industry, or you’re just looking for a refresher on what exactly CBD is, then read on.
CBD is short for Cannabidiol. Believe it or not, CBD naturally exists in the cannabis Sativa plant. Now you might be wondering why we say “cannabis Sativa” and not just cannabis. That’s because there is more than one species of plants in the cannabis family. And not to complicate things even further, but there are species within species of the cannabis plant. So cannabis Sativa is actually the home of marijuana and hemp. You learn something new everyday, am I right?
But don’t let this information scare you. Yes, we all know about the infamous marijuana plant, and how it causes unwanted psychoactive effects (i.e., it gets you “high”). But that’s not what we’re talking about here. No, we’re talking about hemp, the non-intoxicating cousin to marijuana.
You see, CBD naturally occurs in both marijuana and hemp, as does THC, the cannabinoid responsible for getting its users high. But unlike THC, CBD does NOT cause any psychoactive effects. So you won’t have to worry about your pet getting high and eating everything in sight.
And as luck would have it, CBD is more abundant in the hemp plant than it is in the marijuana plant. While some pet owners might find it alarming that THC is found in hemp as well, there’s only a teeny tiny amount of THC found in hemp, so it’s not nearly enough to be intoxicating. In fact, higher ratios of CBD prevents the “high” effect of THC. And, according to studies, the small amount of THC found in hemp actually enhances CBD’s therapeutic effects. Pretty cool, right?
Now all of this is great information, but let’s talk about how CBD actually works in your pet’s body.
How does CBD work in pets?
If you’ve ever looked deep into your pets eyes and thought, “We’re a lot more alike than we appear to be,” you’re not wrong.
Like humans, our pet companions have some of the same organs, systems, and even some of the same feelings like pain, fear, anxiety, stress, happiness, etc.
But there’s one other system that we share with our pets, and it’s called the Endocannabinoid system (ECS). Simply put, this system helps maintain balance in your pet’s body. And it does so by regulating the following:
- Appetite
- Digestion
- Sleep
- Mood
- Pain
- Memory
- Cognitive function
- Immune function
- Reproduction
- Monitor control
- Fertility
- And so much more…
In other words, a healthy ECS means a healthy pet. But when your pet's ECS isn’t properly working, our pet’s bodies are no longer in balance and we suddenly start seeing signs of physical discomfort. Not exactly something we want to see our pet companions go through, right?
So the key to maintaining a properly working ECS is of course lifestyle, diet, and a happy home life. But let’s say you’ve checked all those boxes. What’s still missing? It could be genetics and other biological factors that you and your pet have no control over. In cases like this, your pet could really benefit from natural supplements like CBD.
This is because when our pets consume CBD, it indirectly affects their ECS to use more of their endogenous cannabinoids like Anandmide (known as the “happy molecule”). It’s also been shown that CBD helps stimulate endogenous endorphins, which can help relieve pain.
But perhaps the most stimulating research on how CBD affects our pets' ECS is that it helps redirect misfiring brain cells and reduces inflammation in our canine’s body. And we can only presume that CBD can have this effect on our felines as well.
So now that we know how CBD works in our pet’s body, let’s explore some of the scientific studies that prove the benefits of CBD in our pets.
The benefits of CBD for your pet
It’s no lie that humans can benefit greatly from CBD, but one of the reasons why CBD is such a controversial topic for addressing health conditions is the lack of studies.
But guess what? The studies that have been conducted have been done mostly on animal models rather than on humans. So while the issue of how CBD can benefit us humans is still a highly debatable topic, it’s a scientific fact that CBD can benefit animals, simply because there are just more studies involving animals.
Here are a few examples…
CBD for arthritis in dogs and cats
According to a study, conducted by Dr. Joe Wakshlag and Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine team, several dogs diagnosed with Osteoarthritis were administered CBD oil. The results of this study were astounding, because over 80% of the dogs who were given CBD oil showed remarkable signs of improvement. Not only did their levels of pain decrease but their quality of life improved dramatically.
And as luck would have it, anecdotal evidence shows that CBD could help relieve inflammation in our feline friends as well. This is because inflammation is often the root cause of most diseases, including arthritis.
CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory, and other studies show that when applied to the skin, it can also relieve pain associated with arthritis. It’s even been shown to relieve allergic skin problems.
Pretty compelling stuff, right? But let’s keep going…
CBD for anxiety in dogs and even cats
Look, we know some pets are more prone to anxiety and stress than others, especially during firework season, thunderstorms, and even when we head off to work. And as you may have guessed, CBD could potentially help!
One study showed that CBD helped reduce both anxiety and stress in stressed-induced mice. This is because CBD contains some pretty potent calming effects. So if your pet is showing signs of separation anxiety, which has been confirmed to be the most common form of anxiety in both dogs and cats, you might want to try administering high-quality CBD oil or even CBD pet treats.
But we're still not done yet...
CBD for seizures and epilepsy in dogs and maybe even cats
As we just mentioned, anxiety and stress can affect our little pets pretty intensely. And the more stressed out and anxious our pets become, the more it can take a toll on our pets’ brains. One symptom that could surface is epileptic seizures.
Yep, CBD could potentially help with that, too. In fact, one study involving dogs suffering from idiopathic epilepsy found that CBD helped reduce the inflammation on the dogs’ brains, thus reducing the frequency of seizures. Now that’s pretty amazing!
So does this mean CBD is safe for our pets? Are there absolutely no side effects?
Is CBD safe for dogs and cats?
Now this is the million dollar question, isn’t it? But you’d be surprised to learn that CBD is relatively safe and well tolerated among its users.
There have been studies conducted on dogs and cats about the safety of CBD, and luckily, very few side effects have been reported. In fact, according to researchers, these side effects are rare and fade pretty quickly.
These rare side effects include:
- Dry mouth
- Drowsiness
- Lowered blood pressure
- Drooling
- Gagging
- Excessive licking
Now it should be noted that the last three side effects were from a study involving 8 cats. And in the study, researchers administered CBD combined with fish oil. Sounds pretty gross, right? Let’s face it, CBD oil already tastes bitter, so why in the world would they combine it with fish oil? We get it, cats love fish. But the researchers from the study believe the taste may have been what caused those side effects.
Here’s why they came to that conclusion: In that same study, CBD combined with hemp oil was administered to 8 dogs. And guess what? Absolutely no side effects were reported. So it’s safe to say it was the combo of CBD and fish oil that caused that reaction in cats, and the researchers agree.
But searching for high quality CBD oil products for pets can be confusing. That’s why it’s important to do your research.
The difference between CBD oil vs. hemp oil for pets
A lot of CBD companies today like to cut corners. They do this by advertising their products as hemp oil or hemp extract oil at an extremely affordable price. And while these products sound safe because they say “hemp”, you might want to double check the label.
These so-called hemp products are being sold at cheaper prices because they don’t actually contain CBD. This is because hemp oil, which is actually hemp seed oil, only contains a small amount of CBD that’s not enough to be therapeutic.
Unless you see CBD on the label, it’s best to steer clear. That said, if you find a high-quality CBD oil product for pets, you might be wondering how much you should give them.
How much CBD should I give to my dog or cat?
Here’s the thing: There are no official guidelines regarding the dosage of CBD for dogs and cats. So your best option is to follow the instructions on the label. You can also base your dosage on your pet’s bodyweight. The larger the pet, the higher the dose.
But if you’re new to CBD, it’s best to start slow and only administer a small amount, at least until you see how your pet responds to it. You can always increase the amount over time.
Now let’s discuss where you can find these high-quality CBD products.
Where to find the best CBD oils and CBD pet treats for my dog and cat
The best place to find high-quality CBD products is on the web. Yes, you can easily search “high-quality CBD products near me”, but with online suppliers, you can explore the transparency and validity of the company. Here are three things to look for in a reputable CBD company:
- Are their products third-party tested?
- Are their products formulated using only hemp?
- Are the ingredients of their products organic and sourced from America?
Stick to high-quality pet CBD oils and of course pet CBD treats. They're easier to administer and they're specifically formulated for your pet.
If you’ve tried prescription medications and you’re looking for a more holistic approach for your pet, giving your furry best friend CBD oil or CBD pet treats is worth a shot. You never know; it might just work.
