CBD – short for cannabidiol – is one of the many chemical natural compounds found in the hemp plant (a variant of the cannabis plant). The most important aspect of hemp is that it doesn’t contain THC. THC is a famous active compound known for its psychoactive effects (the feeling of getting “high”). Recently, some studies have shown that it may help dogs with some affections. These include anxiety or osteoarthritis, while increasing their comfort and activity levels. This makes pet owners very curious about using CBD for dogs.
Is It Safe to Give CBD a Dog?
It has been shown that animals have cannabinoid receptors – just like humans do – which means that they can process CBD. Although it is still under research, they have the system and mechanism to internally receive all the properties of CBD.
However, it should be noted that even though some studies showed that CBD can be an effective alternative method to treat some pet conditions, not all dogs are the same, so they may respond differently to CBD.
It is also worth noting that drug interactions can happen with CBD. Therefore, if your pet is taking other medication, talk to your vet about drug interactions before you start using CBD for your pet. They are often open minded about it.
How About the Dosage?
As there are no formal dosing recommendations for dogs and the other data on CBD dosage is sparse, you have to be very careful: any medication or supplement carries the potential risk of reaction.
In that sense, most vets agree that the dosage really depends on the animal’s age and weight. You should always start low and slow with a small dose, monitor your dog’s reaction and adjust from there.
CBD products often offer dosing recommendations, but they are developed by the manufacturer, so again: be careful, there’s no way to firmly tell how much is safe and effective to give to your pet.
Also, keep CBD products safely locked away. If dogs find them, they will probably eat more than they should. Make sure you keep any CBD products out of your dog reach and separate CBD from other treats, to let anyone know when it is OK to give one to your dog.
How To Choose a CBD Product For Dogs?
With so many new and different CBD products available on the market, the choice of which one to go to treat your dog can be difficult and confusing. There are oils, biscuits, capsules and balms, with different formulas. It should be noted that not all types of CBD are created equal.
In that sense, do your research: there are several ways to extract CBD from hemp, and some of them involve using alcohol solvents such as butane and hexane which can leave a toxic residue if not properly handled.
The most important thing is to make sure the label doesn’t contain any added ingredients that may be safe for human consumption yet unhealthy for dogs.
Although CBD oil doesn’t contain significant amounts of THC, unfortunately some products aren’t what they say they are. It’s important to check the reputations and reviews of the product you want to buy, because the wrong substance can make your pet sick…the exact opposite effect you are looking for.
With laws around the world relaxing on the cannabis plant and its commercial uses, more research and testing is needed to formally attest how CBD affects dogs to finally show everyone the incredible benefits of this super-natural healing compound. There’s lots of information out there, so do take a look at sites like moderndogmagazine.com to find out more about whether CBD for dogs is something that would work for your pets.
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