CBD Oil for Dogs
Date Published: 2018-12-23
Date Updated: 2020-02-19
1.What is CBD oil?
2.Benefits of CBD for dogs
3.Will my dog get high from CBD oil?
4.Is CBD for dogs legal?
5.Reasons to give your dog CBD oil
6.Is CBD oil safe?
7.Does my pet really need CBD oil?
8.How much CBD should I give my dog?
9.Side effects of CBD oil
What Is CBD Oil?
If you pay attention to health news, you’ve probably noticed that CBD oil is a hot topic nowadays.
But what exactly is CBD oil – and is it really as beneficial as people claim it is?
Firstly, let’s look at the bigger picture.
Every mammal has an endocannabinoid system. This system affects your body in various ways: it can influence your mood, energy levels, ability to focus, pain levels, skin, and more.
Cannabinoids – which are found in plants like cannabis and hemp – affect our endocannabinoid system. In turn, they can affect our entire body. One of those cannabinoids is cannabidiol, known as CBD. Another example of those cannabinoids is THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol.
Both THC and CBD have benefits, but THC gets you ‘high’ while CBD does not. Studies have shown that CBD has anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, anti-psychotic, and analgesic (i.e. pain-reducing) properties in humans, among other benefits.
CBD can be found in the form of CBD oil. Because of its overwhelming benefits, it’s also found in edibles and sweets, CBD-enhanced beauty products, topicals and pills, and more.
What’s more is that CBD is not only good for humans. It can help your pets too.
CBD oil can come from two different sources: either cannabis or hemp. However, hemp CBD oil is usually easier and cheaper to access because hemp is a legal plant while cannabis is illegal or regulated in many countries around the world.
Benefits of CBD for dogs
For those of us who are lucky enough to have furry family members, CBD oil is worth keeping on hand. According to scientific research, there are a number of benefits of CBD for dogs and humans alike.
The available research shows that CBD has the following properties on mammals in general:
- Anti-inflammatory. CBD has long been known as a ‘novel anti-inflammatory drug’. It can be used to treat people with inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.
- Anti-depressant. Studies on CBD have shown that it has anti-depressant and mood-enhancing effects.
- Anti-psychotic. A 2012 review of studies on CBD showed that it has anti-psychotic effects. Based on over three decades of research, the review concluded that “CBD may be a future therapeutic option in psychosis, in general and in schizophrenia, in particular.”
- Anti-anxiety. CBD can be an effective treatment for anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and more.
- Anti-seizure. There’s a great deal of hard evidence that CBD can help people with epilepsy. It’s believed that the endocannabinoid system directly affects the brain’s tendency for seizures, and it’s popularly been used for children who have treatment-resistant epilepsy.
- A lot of research shows that CBD can reduce pain levels greatly, even in people who have painful chronic illnesses and conditions.
The scientific research behind the benefits of CBD is overwhelming. These benefits are part of the reason why cannabis is becoming legal in more and more countries around the world – it can help people.
But CBD doesn’t only help people. There’s a lot of research and anecdotal evidence that CBD oil can help dogs specifically.
- CBD oil can help dogs with skin conditions. A study conducted in 2012 showed that dogs with inflammatory skin conditions benefitted from consuming CBD oil. This is because CBD is an anti-inflammatory that also regulates sebum production, meaning it soothes the oil production in their skin.
- CBD oil can help anxious dogs. Because of its anti-anxiety properties, many dog owners use CBD oil to help calm their pets. This is especially useful for dogs who have been abused, dogs with separation anxiety, and dogs who have recently been introduced to new spaces or animals.
- CBD oil might be able to treat epileptic dogs. A 2017 study showed that CBD oil was an effective and safe treatment for dogs who are prone to seizures. In general, the epileptic dogs who had CBD oil had fewer seizures than those who didn’t.
- CBD oil reduces pain in dogs. A 2018 study on dogs with osteoarthritis showed that CBD oil reduced their pain and increased their activity levels.
CBD oil has an impressive range of benefits. What’s more is that, as cannabis becomes legal in more parts of the world, more studies are being conducted. In the near future, we’ll hopefully learn about even more benefits of CBD oil for dogs.
Will my dog get high from CBD oil?
No, your dog shouldn’t get intoxicated from CBD oil.
It’s understandable that you’re concerned about getting your dog intoxicated – after all, you don’t want to harm your fluffy friend in any way!
As mentioned before, CBD is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid. Although THC can be intoxicating, CBD can’t get your dog high. Of course, you should always check the packaging, as some oils combine CBD and THC. If the oil contains CBD and doesn’t contain THC, it can’t get your dog high .
Is CBD for dogs legal?
This is a complex question.
As mentioned before, CBD can be derived from cannabis and hemp. While cannabis is illegal in most places around the world, hemp is legal and accessible in pretty much every country. While cannabis and hemp are closely related, cannabis has a high-THC content and hemp does not. This means that cannabis can get you ‘high’, while hemp can’t.
CBD oil can either be derived from hemp or cannabis.
So, while cannabis CBD oil is only legal in some places, hemp CBD oil is legal everywhere .
At the moment, there aren’t any laws about giving your pets CBD. But, given that it’s a safe and effective natural treatment, it’s unlikely that it’ll become illegal.
Reasons to give your dog CBD oil
There are a number of reasons why you should give your dog CBD oil. As mentioned above, it can benefit them in a number of different ways. You should give CBD oil to your dog if you want them to have:
- Healthy skin (and a healthy coat)
- A reduction in pain
- A reduction in seizures
- A calmer, less anxious demeanor
Your dog doesn’t have to have a certain disease or illness to need CBD oil. Many dog owners use low doses of CBD oil to prevent diseases and keep their pets calm, happy, and healthy!
Is CBD oil safe?
It’s only normal for an animal lover to be concerned about whether CBD oil is safe for their pets.
Rest assured, all research suggests it’s perfectly okay. A 2018 study on healthy dogs indicated that CBD oil is quite safe for dogs – and a large body of research suggests it’s safe for humans, too! Just be sure to use the correct dosage at all times.
Of course, it’s important to remember that cannabis itself is very toxic to dogs. If your dog ingests cannabis, take them to a vet immediately.
Does my pet really need CBD oil?
Not every pet ‘needs’ CBD, just like every human doesn’t ‘need’ CBD – but CBD oil is still super beneficial. Your pet may need CBD oil if they’re struggling with:
- Anxiety
- Pain
- Seizures
- Skin conditions
It’s always heartbreaking to see your pet struggling with health issues. If traditional CBD oil might be exactly what they need. If you want a natural treatment for your dog’s ailments, CBD oil is worth investing in!
How much CBD should I give my dog?
This is a tricky question, and one that can’t exactly be answered without knowing your dog, the conditions they have, and the nature of your CBD oil.
Most studies, such as the 2018 study on dogs with osteoarthritis, studied the dosage of 2mg to 8mg of CBD oil twice a day. Since this was shown to be an effective and safe dosage, it’s probably best to stick to this range. However, you should talk to a veterinarian first.
The dosage of CBD oil you give to your dog will depend on:
- weight
- breed
- symptoms and conditions
- The strength of the CBD oil, as some oils are more concentrated than others
you can find the full CBD Dosage Chart For Dogs here
Side effects of CBD oil
This is a big question for many pet owners – are there any side effects of CBD oil when it comes to dogs?
Probably not. So far, research has indicated that there aren’t any side effects of moderate doses of CBD oil.
That said, it’s important to use the correct dosage and always consult with a veterinarian before giving your pet any new medications or supplements. Start off with a small dosage and watch your pet closely to see how they react. While it’s unlikely that your dog will have a bad reaction to CBD oil, it’s best to err on the side of caution when it comes to caring for our furry friends.
To prevent your dog from experiencing any side effects, ensure that you’re only getting CBD oil from a reputable source. Some companies that claim to create CBD products aren’t, in fact, above board. In 2015, the FDA issued a number of warning letters to companies that falsely claimed their products contained CBD. This included companies that claimed to produce CBD-enriched products for dogs. The FDA found that some of these products contained little to no CBD at all. This isn’t to say that their products aren’t safe, but rather that they were ineffective and totally mislabelled.
Always research companies before you buy CBD oil from them. Read the reviews on their site and ask about their testing policies .
CBD oil is something every dog owner needs to be aware of. Hopefully, as more research is conducted in the future, we’ll understand exactly how CBD oil benefits humans and pets alike.
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