CBD & Dogs
There is no question you want your furry friends to live their best lives. Still, unfortunately, common conditions among dogs like arthritis, hyperactivity, depression, anxiety, epilepsy, or separation anxiety can all negatively affect their well-being. Finding a remedy that will help unwanted symptoms without causing side effects may get challenging.
Giving Prozac to dogs may calm them down, but suddenly your dog may look lethargic and sad. Most medications come with unwanted outcomes. Unsurprisingly, millions of pet owners have long searched for a product to help their canine with a wide range of conditions without affecting their personality or causing other problems, and that's when CBD comes in handy.
Why CBD?
Whether you are one of the millions of CBD enthusiasts or have heard about it from your colleagues, friends, or family, you must have seen CBD booming in popularity.
The number of CBD consumers keeps growing, and so does the number of available products. If CBD was once known only for human consumption, now you can find various pet CBD products like CBD dog treats.
Some of the reasons for CBD's growing popularity among humans and their pets include:
- CBD is a non-psychoactive non-euphoric substance
- CBD is federally legal in the U.S.
- CBD can interact with ECS receptors in humans and animals
- CBD causes various outcomes across consumers without causing addiction, unwanted results, or effects.
How can CBD Benefit Dogs?
Just like their owners, dogs have an endocannabinoid system (ECS) in their bodies, helping regulate processes like pain, memory, sleep, mood, and homeostasis.
When you give your dog a CBD treat, it first travels to the digestive tract and then to the bloodstream and ECS receptors.
CBD experience is unique to each dog, but pet owners commonly claim it can calm them down and help deal with chronic health conditions like arthritis.
Research on CBD's Benefits for Dogs
Research on CBD's use in pets is still at an early stage, but early evidence sets the hope for many pet owners.
- A study investigating the safety and efficacy of CBD and cannabidiolic acid-rich hemp extract for treating refractory epileptic seizures in dogs found a significant reduction in epileptic seizure frequency and the number of epileptic seizure days, as assessed through diaries kept by owners.
- The Use of Cannabidiol-Rich Hemp Oil Extract to Treat Canine Osteoarthritis-Related Pain: A Pilot Study found that Thirty of the 32 dogs showed a significant improvement in pain reduction. Hemp-derived CBD oil positively affected dogs with chronic maladaptive pain reducing their pain and improving their mobility and quality of life.
- In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of daily cannabidiol for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis pain, CBD significantly reduced pain and increased mobility in a dose-dependent fashion among animals with an affirmative diagnosis of OA.
Is CBD Safe for Dogs?
Even though CBD is generally safe and well-tolerated by dogs, ensure you buy a premium product for your dog. Low-grade CBD may not provide the best experience and expose your dog to hazardous ingredients. Shop only for third-party lab-tested products from reputable brands.
Additionally, the product you choose should state on its label - "veterinarian-formulated," meaning CBD you're buying is made just for pets. That's crucial as the dosage for human consumers is significantly higher than for pets.
How Much CBD Should I Give My Dog?
While there's no unique dosage for CBD for dogs, the commonly recommended CBD amount is 0.2 grams per pound. So, if you were to give your dog Primabee dog treats, that means giving one piece for every 10 pounds of your dog's weight. Still, we suggest starting low and going with the flow for beginners.
Every dog's experience with CBD is different, so give them a piece or two and see how they react. Keeping a journal of dosage and achieved effects is a great way to find the proper amount that works best for your dog.
What is the best CBD Product for Dogs?
There's no one best CBD product for your dog, and you can choose between CBD oil, CBD treats, CBD balms, and more. Here are some features to look for in your dog's CBD:
- CBD from U.S.-grown hemp
- Third-party lab-tested product
- Broad-spectrum CBD
- Veterinarian-formulated
- Non-GMO
- Made with natural ingredients
- Delicious flavors your dog will love
How to Give My Dog CBD?
Follow the directions on the product packaging on how to give your dog CBD. CBD oils can be administered directly into your dog's mouth or added to their food. CBD treats are ready to go. You can apply CBD balm to the affected areas.
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