You care for your pet and want to see them healthy and thriving. If you’re looking for treatment options for a specific ailment that your dog or cat may have. Then you have heard about the benefits of CBD for your pets swirling around on the internet. But if you don’t know much about this treatment option. You may also be very cautious about giving it to your furry member of the family. This CBD For Pets Guide will take you on a deep dive into what CBD is. How it can benefit your pet’s health to give it a better life.
What is CBD?
CBD is a type of medical drug used for humans and pets alike. It’s used to promote overall wellness and be a great alternative to other medications prescribed by a veterinarian. Which can possibly be harmful to your pet. CBD is just one of over 100 cannabinoids found in cannabis Sativa plants. That scientists have found to promote a pet’s healing. What is a cannabinoid? These are molecular compounds found in any hemp plant and other plants. That helps our immune system and central nervous system. And when the CBD is administered, this cannabinoid then interacts with our endocannabinoid system. This system that both humans and animals have in our bodies allows us to interact with CBD safely. All of this helps to keep your pets healthy and happy.
Is CBD legal?
Many pet owners have questions about if CBD for pets is illegal, and the answer is no. According to the Farm Bill that was passed in 2018, farmers are now allowed to cultivate hemp-derived products. And transfer the products across state lines for commercial purposes. An act that was previously limited. The bill also made it that hemp-derived products could also be sold and possessed without any restrictions. But although the bill made it that people could produce and sell hemp-derived products like CBD oil. Some states have their own laws and regulations on CBD. Ensure that you look up your local state or county laws to see. If CBD is legal to own in your area.
Is CBD safe for my pet?
You won’t have to worry about your pet’s safety with CBD. Because your pet will more than likely not have any problems with it if they take it. Thanks to the Farm Bill, CBD, and other industrial Hemp related products are only allowed to hold THC that’s 0.3% or lower. Like CBD, THC is a compound that is also found in cannabis plants. But there is a significant difference between the two. CBD is non-psychoactive, which means that it won’t give your pet a high or euphoric feeling. It is also impossible for your pet to overdose on CBD. But just as a reminder, there is a risk that your pet could get stomach related issues such as vomiting and diarrhoea. If given too much at once, so be careful and provide the right dosage.
Do vets offer CBD for my pet?
Although there is convincing evidence that shows the many benefits of CBD and the growing popularity with pet owners for their furry friends. Veterinarians are still reluctant to talk about CBD treatments for your pet. This is because the products are not FDA approved yet. There also isn’t much testing for dogs, although more is happening since it was first sold. Another problem is that vets in some states cannot legally prescribe CBD for their clients. Due to the federal law that classifies CBD in the same category as heroin. The State of California allows Veterinarians to prescribe and talk about CBD treatment options with pet owners, so make sure that you bring it up to your vet if you want to start them on CBD.
What are the benefits of CBD?
Many studies show the various health benefits that your pet can have with CBD. Some areas in which it helps is situational or general anxiety, pain relief, and more. There have also been scientific studies that have found that CBD is an anti-seizure. Although they don’t understand how it works, scientists still study how CBD positively affects the brain to prevent seizures. CBD is also used as a disease prevention medicine as well with ongoing research to back it up. This is because CBD has a natural inflammatory property that helps with brain disease, cancer, and diabetes. Other chronic problems have also been seen to improve.
How do I choose the right brand?
Choosing the right brand is very important when thinking about giving your pet CBD for its health. You want to make sure that it is being made through the CO2 method, which breaks down the plant to extract the oil. Look to see if the product has a seal of approval by the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), which shows that it was made through other approved methods. But also, be careful of shady makers who will cut corners and leave a residue of toxins that stay in the CBD oil. Some of these companies can even lie about how much THC is in the oil, potentially deceiving you into giving your pet some harmful products. So, make sure that the brand you choose has been tested by a reliable third-party.
Is CBD safe to take with my pet’s other prescription drug?
While earlier, it’s said that CBD can be entirely safe for your pet in most cases, if your pet is already taking another prescription drug, then you may want to know if the two ever interact. For the most part, CBD will have an interaction with other medications, making it harmless. This is because the liver enzyme that metabolizes the CBD, cytochrome P450, is only utilized very little compared to the other drugs that your pet may take. But all medicine is different, and some may interact with it. This includes anti-inflammatories and corticosteroids, so make sure that you bring this concern up to your veterinarian.
Can I give CBD for humans to my pet?
You may want to know that if CBD is so safe and is used for humans and pets alike, wouldn’t it also be safe to use human CBD oils instead? While both are safe, the CBD used for humans has different ingredients that could harm your pets. But with CBD products specifically made for animals, there are more benefits that human CBD doesn’t provide them. Pets can be significantly smaller than humans, so their ingredients and specific dosage are made with your pet’s health in mind. Another benefit is that humans only have a couple of ways to administer CBD, while pets have multiple ways to make it easy for them to take and digest CBD. So, make sure to always stick with products made for your pets.
What is the Dosage?
Now you know the background, benefits, and risks that CBD has for your pet. What’s next is information on the actual dosage. There can be a couple of different ways to accurately dose your pet our CBD For Pets Guide to give them benefits quickly. And Although it can seem a little tricky, it is quite simple.
First, the standard dosage for CBD for pets is 1mg per 10 pounds of body weight taken twice a day. You can also do an alternative method, which is to give a dosage based on the ailment. For example, you would give your pet a certain number of drops depending on if you are giving it for anxiety or diabetes. But no matter what method you use, always start on the lowest dose first or half it and observe your pet for a couple of weeks. If they seem well or you don’t see the CBD working fast enough, then up the dosage slightly.
How do I give CBD to my pet?
As stated before in our CBD For Pets Guide, there are quite a few ways to give CBD to your pet. You can buy CBD as an oil form, which comes in a tincture for accurate dosing. Just make sure that the carrier oil is hemp seed oil, so your pet won’t have to digest two types of oils. There are also topical balms available for administering it transdermally or through the surface of your pet’s skin, such as the ears.
You can also get it as hard and soft chews that make it easy to offer your pet the medicine like a treat. As a quick tip, using our CBD For Pets Guide, if you choose to administer CBD to your pet as an oil, gently push out the dosage from the bottle and put it right on the gums of your pet. This will allow it to bypass the stomach and get into the bloodstream. This will let your pet feel the effects of the CBD quicker.
Conclusion
CBD can be a great alternative to other medicinal drugs you have tried and have seen very little to no benefits. And if these medicines are harming your pet, our CBD For Pets Guide may be the next route to creating a better life for your lovable pet. Make sure you talk to your veterinarian for treatment options. Don’t let your pet suffer anymore.