Holistic CBD has got an amazing momentum and an impressive fame day by day since its legality issues have been resolved in many states giving rise to overall harvesting and usage of CBD. In this article we will discuss about CBD Oil for Dogs.
Here, you may have been worried about CBD’s use in dogs because you’ve previously heard a lot of horror stories about marijuana intoxication in dogs. If you were thinking the same, let me tell you the differences between CBD and Marijuana.
Marijuana is also a Cannabis plant that contains a lot of cannabinoids and for so many years, cannabinoids were being extracted from Marijuana but then studies revealed that CBD or other cannabinoids extracted from Marijuana plant are known to have higher traces of THC which is a mind-altering or psychoactive drug.
After the findings, for CBD’s extraction, manufactured leaned towards Hemp plant which is also a cannabis plant but contains lower amounts of THC, and hence, CBD extracted from Hemp plants was found to be safer.
This can give you a clear idea that there may be a lot of stories of Marijuana intoxication in feline buddies but marijuana is something way different than CBD as CBD is a completely safe compound that never causes intoxication or psychoactive effects until its impure and contains traces of impurities and THC more than the safe limit range which is less than 0.3%.
Also, only those CBD products are legal to sell which have less than 0.3% THC so you’re always at a safe edge when using CBD for your feline friend. CBD can impose positive impacts on your dog’s health without making the Fido feel funny.
Now if you’ve been satisfied by the words and can trust a CBD for your four-leg buddy, let me tell you more about when and how to use CBD oil for your dog.
Let’s start;
Why should you give CBD to your Dog?
If your dog suffers from any chronic ailment, your vet may prescribe a therapeutic drug to treat the ailment and most of the medications are for anxiety, pain and stomach distress which are associated with many adverse and side effects but at the same time, CBD is completely safe and rarely causes any side effects.
Even studies conducted in 2016 revealed that 93% of the dog owners who used CBD for dogs claimed that CBD products were as effective as other medications they’ve previously tried. Respondents used CBD to treat Seizures, Cancer, Anxiety, and Arthritis in their dogs. Also, side effects were rare and were only limited to fatigue and increased thirst and appetite.
You can consider CBD oil for your dog because it has been proven to help relieve any kind of distress without posing any major side effects. There are pet owners who give CBD oil to their canines regularly and others may use CBD for acute ailments for a specific period.
How CBD Works:
CBD is a powerful cannabinoid that works by interacting with the Endocannabinoid system of our body, which is more of a regulatory system and ensures to maintain normal homeostasis in the body.
ECS, in the body, controls pains, inflammation, depression, anxiety, sadness, memory, chemical balance, mood, appetite, and many other functions. CBD, upon administration via any route or form of product, interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors of ECS which are located everywhere in the body.
Studies have shown that ailments including inflammation, pain, or other symptoms show hyper or hypoactivity of ECS. This is where the magic begins, CBD enters the body and normalizes the functionality of ECS which then ultimately, upon being normalized, works to maintain the body’s natural homeostasis, and thus many ailments and their systems get treated.
CBD’s usage for different ailments in Dogs:
Further in this article, I’m going to guide you about the conditions where CBD can help significantly and how you should use CBD oil for dogs.
Let’s get started with the areas of concern where CBD can help you significantly;
CBD for an Anxious Dog:
Just like humans, dogs can also experience anxiety when they’re in some tense or triggering conditions like getting separated from their owners, riding in a car, or being exposed to really loud noises. Just like humans, some may have obvious symptoms of being anxious or nervous whereas others can respond to triggers more subtly.
Also, anxiety levels depend on breeds too as some certain breeds react more actively to an anxiety trigger than others and also, breeds react differently. Here are some quick signs to understand if your dog is having anxiety:
- Premature muzzle grayness
- Reduced daily activity
- Isolating inside the house
- Hiding in deep and dark corners
- Trembling more often
- Releasing anxiety on destroying objects
- Panting and drooling more than normal
- Pacing and Vocalizing
If your dog shows any of these symptoms he might be having anxiety. For this, you can administer CBD by dripping some drops into his mouth or by adding CBD to its food.
Also, the anti-anxiety and anti-depression effects are backed by scientific studies as a lot of studies have been performed on human as well as animal models to see CBD’s anti-anxiety worth and results were always positive as many users showed symptoms of getting cured.
CBD for Depressed Dog:
Anxiety and depression are two different things. Where you may realize that your dog is anxious, you may not realize that your pooch can also get the blues. Just like anxiety, depression in dogs is also the same as in humans.
Any change in the normal life of a dog can make him depress like the introduction or loss of another pet, a new member of the family, and a change in the owner’s availability. A depressed dog might stop eating, refuse to go on walks, or stay hidden most of the time. It’s always better to have a clinical diagnostic session rather than making assumptions.
A lot of scientific studies have been made on human as well as animal models to know how CBD works against depression and CBD was found to produce quickly as well as long-lasting anti-depressant effects in the subjects.
There’s and FDA approved anti-depressant drug for dogs named Clomicalm and CBD may work like that drug. Both CBD and Clomicalm may work on Serotonin receptors to enhance the levels of the mood-boosting chemicals in the brain.
There’s a prohibition to use this drug for dogs who previously had or are having seizures whereas CBD is completely safe highly efficient in seizures too which increases its worth.
CBD for pains in Dogs:
Pain is a sign of any underlying tissue damage and can develop for many reasons. Just like CBD’s anti-anxiety and anti-depression properties, its analgesic properties are also widely studied and discussed hence you can use it as a pain killer in dogs. CBD has proven to be effective even for some severe types of pains and doesn’t cause any side effects like other analgesics. Here you can read more about benefits of cbd oil.
It can be administered for a specific period to treat acute pain and regularly to treat chronic pains which even other medications cannot cure. Also, unlike other medicines, CBD is highly safe to use for longer periods and it won’t cause any stomach distress.
CBD and Wound Care in Dogs:
Dogs are actively playful and sometimes get trouble too as they may get wounds. Laceration or cuts are painful or at least irritating and may lead to excessive licking. Here CBD oil for dogs having wounds can be a significant healing compound for the wounds as it has scientifically proven to be anti-septic, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal compound.
In ancient times, CBD was widely used for pain and wound healing and now it’s even scientifically proven to be a potent analgesic. CBD may greatly help with skin wounds and maintain homeostasis, which is important when dogs are affected by injury or disease. CBD can greatly control pain sensations and itching.
CBD and Inflammations in Dogs:
Generally arthritis refers to swelling inside or outside the body and usually, inflammations lead to pain to alert us about the progression. Arthritis is also an inflammatory condition that causes pain in joints and damages the cartilage.
Survey studies reveal that almost 20 percent of dogs are more likely to develop arthritis at some point in their lives. The joints that are majorly affected by Arthritis are Hips, elbows, lower back, knees, and wrists.
Also many other inflammatory conditions like diabetes, fungal or bacterial infections, obesity, and Cushing’s disease can cause degradation in the joints.
CBD has a scientifically proven worth of reducing inflammation by interacting with ECS and therefore, treating an arthritic dog with CBD can improve the condition many folds and can slow down the progression of the disease.
Usually doctors prescribe NSAIDs for pain and inflammation which significantly cause digestive, kidney, and liver problems and on the same hand, CBD is completely safe yet efficient.
Also, studies are under-process to yield CBD’s complete worth profile for use in dogs with arthritis and hopefully soon it’ll rise as the safer yet most effective drug to treat arthritis in dogs.
CBD for Symptomatic relief of Cancer:
Cancer is painful and dogs suffering from cancer may experience severe pains from tumors, surgeries, and other treatments. CBD has also been extensively studied for its anti-cancerous effects which involve symptomatic treatment of cancer.
Cannabinoids have a potency to interfere with proliferation and differentiation of cell growth and hence they can restrict or control tumor growth. Also, it’s ‘suggested’ that CBD may also recruit the body’s own “killer cells” to destroy tumors and other abnormal cells.
This is how CBD shows promise for treating cancer and can reduce the size of tumors. This size reduction can lower pain signals evolving from these tumors ultimately reducing pain. It may also diminish the need for invasive surgery to remove these cancerous tumors.
However more research needs to be conducted to learn more about CBD for cancer in dogs. Though, the current research indicates that CBD may be useful because it has anti-inflammatory, analgesics, and proliferation and differentiation controlling effects.
CBD and Inflammatory CNS Diseases
CNS is referred to as the Central Nervous system or our brain’s controlling system. Many research studies have revealed that dogs with inflammatory central nervous system diseases have hyperactivity in their endocannabinoid system. CBD also works as an endocannabinoid for ECS and hence can control inflammatory diseases of CNS. Some most common inflammatory CNS conditions that badly affect our canines are:
- Distemper
- Toxoplasmosis
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Granulomatous meaning-encephalomyelitis
The bad thing is, these conditions can more often cause seizures and other neurological deficits. Here CBD works synergistically hence it not only is a potent anti-inflammatory agent but also a very effective anti-seizure agent so you won’t worry much about seizures once you start administering CBD to your dog.
CBD for dogs having hot spots:
Canines of any age can develop allergies and skin conditions but sometimes dogs rationally lick their skin when it’s itchy and uncomfortable and develop hot spots that are notoriously hard to treat.
Here again, CBD can help significantly by providing its anti-bacterial, anti-septic, and analgesic services at the site of a hot spot. It not only heals the skin but also reducing pain signals which stops the dog from licking further.
CBD is better than any other topical treatment here because even if your dog licks it, it’s highly safe to consume where your other topical cream or ointment surely isn’t.
Also, studies have shown that when a canine is undergoing any skin condition, they have increased endocannabinoid reactivity and this indicates that using CBD to influence the endocannabinoid system may improve symptoms.
CBD and Digestive Health of Dogs:
Probably the most common ailment in dogs is gastric disturbance. They may refuse to eat or may have an unexplained bout of nausea or diarrhea. As long as your dog doesn’t need any strict urgent care for a digestive problem, CBD may help greatly.
CBD can offer a helping hand by reducing nausea and vomiting and it can also boost up the appetite disturbed due to any other reason. For gastric issues, CBD help by targeting anandamide in the body which improves mood and increases appetite in the canines.
As CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, it may also help improve inflammatory digestive diseases, such as colitis. Adding on, in an animal study, researchers found that CBD significantly reduced inflammation that was previously present.
Some dogs have recurring diarrhea due to some chronic or underlying medical conditions. In these cases, regular use of CBD may improve digestive distress.
As well as for chronic inflammations, CBD can also greatly help to reduce acute inflammations and soothe the stomach.
A full flesh summary of CBD’s use in canine ends here. I hope it can give you a clear vision of when and where you can use CBD for your dog’s ailments. Moving on in the article, I will tell you what are other ways to use CBD and how can you dose it specifically according to your pup.
CBD as a Preventive Treatment:
You might have seen some dog owners using CBD in their canine that doesn’t have any apparent health problems. If you think your dog is a week or have lower immunity or its breed is prone to developing certain ailments, probably you can use CBD as a preventive treatment because prevention is always better than treatment.
There are many reasons for which you should use CBD as a preventive measure and one of them is its Oxidative property. CBD is a potent antioxidant as it contains Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Omega-3, and Omega-6 fatty acids which are highly nutritious and maintains the body’s normal health. It can protect body cells from oxidative stress which ultimately can cause a wide variety of diseases.
Oxidative stress can cause cancer, inflammation and age-related degeneration by damaging the cell DNA. Some scientists believe that dietary changes and health supplements can help your dog stay sharp as it gets older and CBD is surely a reputed health supplement.
In human models, CBD has shown to improve mental health greatly so if your dog is developing confusion or losing its mental agility while getting older, you can help him out by giving him CBD as a daily food supplement to help with these symptoms.
Also, offering CBD as a daily supplement in your young pet may remarkably prevent these signs of aging from occurring and can also part to good health daily.
Proper CBD Dosing for your Dog:
CBD is available in many dosage forms but most commonly available in the form of an oil, tincture or extract. Undoubtedly, CBD oil for dogs having any ailment is a natural healer. You can probably drip some drops of CBD oil directly into the mouth of your dog only when he’s willing to do so otherwise we know how stubborn they are when it comes to administering medicines. Or if he’s not that good and probably no dog is, try mixing CBD oil into the food of your dog as a dab of peanut butter mixed with CBD oil usually goes down quite smoothly.
But there are some factors to consider, if your dog is in pain and you want quick results, you should directly drip some oil into his mouth as giving CBD with food can take more time to exert its effects. If given via food, CBD has to make its way through the digestive system before its absorbed, and metabolism time adds up.
Where direct administration is favorable for quick effects and acute pains, administering in food is a convenient way to deal with chronic ailments or for preventive use of CBD.
If your dog has a wound, try a CBD topical product or apply edible CBD oil on to the affected area to get rapid results. Here’s a little prohibition of using CBD tincture directly on to the skin as it’s produced with alcohol which can sting.
The safest guide to start on anything new for anybody either a human o canine is to start with a small amount to get assured about the product’s tolerance. Same way, start CBD with a low dose, observe any changes, and gradually increase the dose.
Most experts consider a low dosage of 0.1mg/kg of body weight to be good enough at starting points. A medium dose of 0.25mg/kg of body weight can be used if the low dose doesn’t produce significant results whereas a high dose is considered to be 0.5mg/kg of body weight.
Same as for humans, you want to be sure you are using high-quality CBD oil for your dog too. And for this, you should always check reviews and labels of different CBD oil products to find out one that’s right for your best friend.
Why Vet don’t Prescribe CBD:
Although you’re probably tempted to visit your veterinarian before giving CBD to your dog, you might be met with a blank stare and couldn’t listen to what you expected to. Many veterinarians aren’t even familiar with CBD and they usually don’t understand how it’s different from marijuana.
It’s suggested that you should visit a Cannabis expert before deciding on CBD as he’s the one who can completely and more knowingly guide you about CBD’s uses for your specific preferences and needs.
As still there are some issues with CBD’s acceptance and there are no CBD’s FDA registered drugs other than one, unfortunately, veterinarians are prohibited by law from prescribing, administering, dispensing, recommending, or approving cannabis for their patients. This confusion directly refers to medical marijuana that contains THC as well as its derivatives but CBD oil also pays off the price.
But CBD’s fate and fame are improving day by day and we have a hope of a bright future of CBD’s FDA registered drugs that will ensure general health like none of the medical drugs have assured up till now. Fingers crossed!