Everything you must know about CBD for Pets

Cannabidiol is famous for its therapeutic properties in humans. However, the healing benefits extend to all mammals. It helps in treating pain, memory problems, reduce inflammation, seizure, stomach related disorders, and relieves stress without making you high. Earlier, only humans used to take CBD for its therapeutic properties. But now, even pets can take CBD. It means your pet can also experience CBD’s health benefits as you would. Animals, especially mammals, are similar to humans in their functioning. Because of this fact, CBD may find potential uses in pets. Let us look at how CBD may be able to help your pet’s life.

CBD for Pets Benefits:

1. Seizures:

CBD is beneficial for pets in many ways. Almost 1-5% of puppies go through seizures due to some head damage, hereditary illness, and epilepsy. According to a study, giving CBD in conjunction with seizure medicines to dogs gives them fewer seizures as compared to those with no CBD. You can trust this pet CBD by CBDfx when it comes to high quality CBD products.Make sure you check out the label for potency before buying.

2. Arthritis:

Arthritis affects a large number of four-legged pets, including felines and canines. It shows a severe irritation and swelling of the elbows and knees joints. Other symptoms include, your pet not climbing the stairs, avoiding getting into your lap, and exhibiting tiredness. Large mammals such as horses are more susceptible to joint pains, arthritis, and muscle aches. CBD has anti-arthritic healing properties that might treat joint pain. CBD chewable supplements are excellent in aiding the treatment of large dogs suffering from arthritis. These chewables usually contain a combination of herbal arthritis supplements like glucosamine along with CBD oil. The supplement helps in pain-relief, soothing inflammation, and increasing mobility in the joints.

3. Nausea:

Nausea is the feeling of needing to vomit. Nausea can be a result of overeating, inflammatory bowel disease, worms, or parasites. It can lead to excessive drooling, continuous licking, and loss of water. It can also cause fatigue and anorexia. Although you will find many medicines in the market to treat your pets affected by nausea, they might also cause a few side effects like hypotension, diarrhea, and strong sedation. According to studies, CBD can decrease the intensity of nausea in pets. It helps in improving their appetite back to normal.

4. Anxiety:

Most animals get a mental shock due to lightning, strangers, and loud noises. These are indications of anxiety. These anxieties are okay up to a specific limit; however, things need attention when pets get super-anxious. Pets undergo strain due to unfriendly situations and behavioural changes. Situational anxiety is easy to maintain, but behavioural concern needs medical help. CBD might help in calming and soothing your pet’s anxiety level. For personalized CBD recommendations, one can visit a vet or local cannabis dispensary nearby.

5. Cancer:

CBD might even prevent the growth of tumor cells. Usually, the process of treating pets suffering from cancer is similar to humans. Both undergo chemotherapy for cancer treatment. Chemotherapy comes with many side effects, such as fatigue and vomiting. Due to these symptoms, pets lose their appetite and also suffer dehydration leading to diarrhea. In fact, according to studies, CBD might aid in decreasing tumor size. Thus, CBD assists in alleviating pain and improving overall health.

CBD Dosage:

Before deciding what dose to give to your pets, you must know how much CBD is there in the CBD oil. Mostly, in a 1-ounce dropper bottle, you will find 100 to 250mg of CBD. Check out the label of the CBD oil bottle to know the exact concentration. The amount of CBD for a pet depends on the weight of your pet. For every 10 pounds of dog’s weight, you can give 1 mg to 3 mg of CBD. So, for a dog weighing fifty pounds, you can provide 5-15 mg per day.

Similarly, for a 5-pound cat, you can give approximately 1-2 mg per day. You can split the amount into two servings so that its effects last the entire day.

To deal with moderate anxiety, give your pet, low doses of CBD. For severe stress and extreme pain, give them a large dose to manage it.

Administering CBD:

The US FDA is still working on the science and standard of the CBD products. Some CBD products contain less CBD than as mentioned on the bottle. You must purchase CBD for pets from a reliable and legitimate company, even if it is expensive. Be careful while buying cheap cannabis. Cheaper versions of CBD are usually less potent.You can buy concentrated tincture if you want to buy something of a lower price range. Concentrated tinctures last long. If you are looking for something fancy, then creams and treats are also easily accessible to feed your pet. Nowadays, you can shop for CBD online also. Online dispensary Canada lets you buy by mixing and matching cannabis edibles.

The right way of giving CBD oil is directly into their mouth, under their tongue. But mostly, pets are not so keen on taking medications. But if you stay calm and patient with your pet, eventually, your pet might start liking the taste.

If your pet still doesn’t like it, then you should switch to CBD treats or capsules that are accessible in different flavors. You can sprinkle CBD oil over your pet’s food before feeding them. Treats are more appealing than liquid forms. However, the option of liquid drops is an easy way of administering different dosages. Start with small doses to avoid stomach upset. In case of an overdose, i.e., if your pet overindulges on CBD treats, then it might lead to low blood pressure, lethargy, and vomiting. If you notice any of these symptoms, then reach for a veterinary treatment immediately.

What to check When Buying CBD?

You should be very careful while buying CBD. The CBD industry is still growing, and you cannot take its products for granted. It is essential to pay close attention to the quality of the CBD you are buying. Check for the Potency in the label of the product. Potency means the total cannabinoids in the product.You can choose any mode of purchase, i.e., from a store, a dispensary, or even online. Learn about the brand and how legitimate they are. Luckily, these days, brands are trying to be very open and clear about their product quality. They give all the right information to the consumers.

Having a Certificate of Analysis(COA) indicates that the CBD products have undergone a third-party test, which makes them a gold standard product.You should not give CBD products that are meant for humans to your pets. They might contain elements like xylitol or grapeseed oil that can be deadly for animals.

Ask your Vet these Questions:

Consult your veterinary doctor first before giving your pet CBD. Ask your vet about the kind of CBD that you can feed to your pet. Understand about the dosage and the time table for feeding your pet. Ask your vet about the storage conditions for CBD and how to understand whether it is working or not. You must also ask and understand the various symptoms that indicate when to stop feeding your pet.

After Effects:

When you feed your pet any CBD product, wait, and watch for any reactions. For example, wait for 20 minutes after feeding your dog with CBD. If your dog is calmly sitting in a noisy area rather than lying scared, it means the CBD is effective. Another positive effect is when, after giving CBD to arthritis affected dog for seven days, if the dog can run and jump around means CBD is working.

The adverse effects can include fatigue and loss of stability. Pets may also start vomiting, huffing, and puffing. If you notice any such symptoms, then you might have given a high dose of CBD, and they are experiencing lethal effects. Visit a veterinarian in this scenario, and they will guide you further.

Discontinue the CBD dosage when you see any signs of discomfort. Visit your nearest veterinary facility immediately if you think the matter is getting out of control.

If your pet is taking some other medication alongside CBD, then look for any drug interaction. Common side effects include tiredness, a decrease in blood pressure, and dry mouth. If you notice that any of these reactions is seriously affecting your pet’s day to day activity, then talk to your vet promptly. It would be best to speak to a vet before starting any CBD product for your pet.

Conclusion:

Understand that there is still a lot of research to be done on CBD for pets. If you do not buy CBD products from a reliable source, there can be safety concerns in case of wrong labels. If you are planning on giving CBD to your pet, then it would be best if you talk to your vet first. Then, once you get a green flag from your vet, you can start giving them a small dose and watch for any reactions.