CBD For Pets

Cannabidiol (CBD) is improving the lives of pets and pet owners around the world. What if you could give your dog or cat a treat or add a small dropper full of oil to their food and have a calm, happy pet without any negative side-effects? Pet owners are finding that cannabinoids can improve their animal's lives in truly impactful ways. CBD can lessen anxiety and pain leading to happier pets and pet owners.

After a crash of thunder, your beloved dog is huddled in a corner, shaking, petrified by the storm. Or perhaps he's trying to escape the noise by digging a hole through your wall. Every time you leave the house he barks for hours, crying for you to come home. Maybe you have a cat with litter box issues or one who needs to go to the vet. You are dreading the biting, scratching cat tornado you will have to deal with to get them into their carrier. This is how anxiety manifests in dogs and cats whether it's a noise phobia, separation anxiety, or fear of change, you know your pet is unhappy and there seems to be little that you can do about it. You may have tried mood stabilizers or sedatives and found they left your pet lethargic and zoned out, while long-term use of these medications can damage the liver and spleen. CBD, however, is not toxic to mammals and has some amazing therapeutic properties. The word cannabinoid is associated closely with marijuana but CBD oil is not the same thing as Marijuana. You will not get your pet high with CBD.

Hemp and Marijuana both come from the Cannabis Sativa plant and they are almost indistinguishable from each other while growing. However, they are chemically different. Marijuana contains two cannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Hemp has an almost no THC (too little to cause any effects) and is high in CBD. CBD is therapeutic while THC is psychoactive, it's what gets people high when they smoke or ingest Marijuana. Most mammals, including humans, canines, and felines have an endocannabinoid system - specific receptor sites, that allow the cannabinoids to affect the body and brain. CBD has no intoxicating effect on humans or animals, but what it can do is quite amazing.

In animals and humans, CBD has been shown to be beneficial in relieving pain and inflammation. It greatly lessens separation anxiety and noise phobias. It helps with skin problems and digestive issues. CBD has even been shown to shrink tumors in pets and keep them comfortable as they near the end of their lives. CBD lessens hip dysplasia pain and arthritis resulting in a much better quality of life. Seizure frequency is greatly diminished in people and pets using CBD. Truly a wonder drug, CBD has almost no side effects when administered properly. Where do you find this great product for our pets? CBD enhanced treats are now available at Bath & Biscuits!

CBD has not been cleared by the FDA for veterinary use. This means that the people making CBD oil and treats cannot legally make any claims about its benefits. Veterinarians often recommend CBD use in tandem with conventional medications. They find they can give the animal smaller doses of anti-inflammatory and pain medication and lessen the medication's side effects when CBD comes into play. For example, a dog recovering from surgery may require pain medication. Adding CBD will reduce inflammation and stiffness and allow the dog to be up and moving around more quickly and allow the vet to prescribe a smaller dose of the pain medication. An animal undergoing chemotherapy may be given CBD treats to help with appetite and digestive issues as well as overall pain and anxiety.

If you decide to try CBD for your pet, it is best to pick a formulation made specifically for animals. You will want to start with a small dose and gauge your pet's reaction to it, then gradually raise the dose until the therapeutic level is reached. This may take several weeks. If you choose treats, put them someplace where no animal or well-meaning human can get into them: while CBD overdose is not fatal in mammals, it might upset their stomach and make them very sleepy. It is always best to get your animal to a vet if you suspect they have ingested a lot of CBD or any other medication.

CBD is not a cure-all, but it can greatly improve quality of life. Owners who give CBD to their pets report that it does not alter their personality, it simply makes them feel better physically. Pets suffering from anxiety or phobias feel safer and more secure. Most pet owners intend to continue CBD therapy indefinitely and would recommend it to others. Research and information on CBD increases every day and new ways to use CBD are found each year. We have only scratched the surface of what CBD can do for humans and animals.

Originally Posted on 04/24/2017 at 09:00 AM