◊ Is It Safe to Give CBD to Dogs?
Cannabidiol oil, also known as CBD is the current trendy health and lifestyle craze. With no known side effects and a growing list of potential health benefits, CBD is gaining in popularity among US consumers and their pets. While research is more robust for humans, promising results are starting to come in for the use of CBD in treating certain ailments in dogs.
We already know that many people use CBD for a variety of ailments like pain, anxiety and skin concerns, but did you know that it can also be used to treat similar conditions in pets?
With CBD products for pets easily available online, more and more pet parents are finding that they have questions about this cannabinoid.
The first scientific study of CBD oil in dogs was a 2017 Cornell University study in which CBD oil was given twice daily to dogs with osteoarthritis. The study found that CBD helped increase their comfort and activity. While current research on CBD for dogs is focused on arthritis, many pet owners—and vets—have found it to be effective for other off-label uses. Dr. Richter, a holistic veterinarian practicing out of Oakland, California stated that CBD can help with everything from pain and soreness to stress and anxiety, upset stomach and seizures in dogs.
While there’s no conclusive scientific data on using CBD to treat dogs, there is a lot of anecdotal evidence from dog owners suggesting it can treat pain, especially neuropathic pain, as well as helping to control seizures.
◊ Best Way Administer CBD Oil For Your Dog?
A study carried out by the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University has shown that CBD can be an effective treatment for dogs with pain related to arthritis. A remarkable decrease in pain and increase in activity was observed by the medical researchers, with “no side effects” reported by the pet owners.
◊ CBD Oil May Help Dogs with Anxiety
A lot of people use CBD for themselves basically to help with anxiety, in the same vein, people give CBD to dogs for the same reason. Pet parents want to soothe the anxiety of their dogs especially during stressful times like fireworks on the Fourth of July or thunderstorms. While it is true that most of the evidence supporting CBD’s effectiveness in this capacity is anecdotal, there is some research that backs up the idea that CBD medications for dogs can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety.
◊ Mind The Dosage
Since CBD is not a regulated substance, anyone who uses it should be mindful about the dose they give their dogs and they should also remember that not all CBD products on the market are correctly labeled. Always follow the instructions on the package and always be on the side of caution.
Although no side effects were reported in the research undertaken by Cornell University study on CBD for dogs with arthritis, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any possible side effects across the board. The side effects that have been reported so far are linked to very high doses and primarily involve dogs becoming sleepy or developing mild gastrointestinal problems, all of which resolve within a short time.
A recent Cornell University study found that once the right dosage is determined for a pet, cannabidiol can improve pain stemming from arthritis. In addition, some consumers have had success in using CBD oil for dogs to help relieve a variety of ailments.
◊ Best Way to Administer CBD Oil to Your Dog?
The most effective way to administer cannabis to your dog is orally, either with an oil or given as treats . While snacks can be an easy starting point, oil is typically a more effective way to administer CBD. CBD is not particularly well absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract so ideally CBD oil is best, as some of it will be absorbed through the tissues in the mouth.
◊ Is It Safe to Give Your Pet CBD? Are There Any Possible Side Effects?
Dr. Ibrahim Shokry, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine with over 30 years of veterinarian experience, said there are still certain pet health concerns that can be address with CBD. He noted that CBD can be used in the treatment of certain types of seizures, to control pain, inflammation, nausea, vomiting, to stimulate appetite and to manage anxiety. Furthermore, no side effects were reported in that particular Cornell University study on CBD for dogs with arthritis. Cases of side effects that have been reported are linked to very large doses and primarily involve dogs becoming sleepy or developing mild gastrointestinal problems, all of which resolve within a short time.
The currently known side effects of CBD on dogs if any are mild. As long as the product is of high quality, the worst side effect is likely to be a little drowsiness and this only occurs if the dosing is too high.
◊ Final Thoughts
Because of its effect on the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which regulates various functions in our bodies, CBD can help with intermittent fasting in a variety of ways.
One study from 2016 actually found that it can promote a healthier metabolism. CBD also blocks one of our brain’s receptors so that the neurotransmitter that stimulates appetite will fail to fire, which means you may be more likely to go longer without eating a meal of substantial caloric content.
