So you want to know Can CBD Help My Dog? (Part 1). Continue reading and gain that insight. Your pets are an important part of your family, so you always want to make sure they are healthy and happy. Like humans, pets can have a variety of health problems that prevent them from feeling their best. Hemp-based CBD oil may have your pets running, playing, and being their happy selves again.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid, a chemical compound found in the cannabis plant that interacts with the endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids attach to cannabinoid receptors in the body and help to regulate bodily functions such anxiety and pain. The Cannabis plant contains both CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), but CBD (cannabidiol) can be extracted from the hemp plant without the THC. THC can cause psychoactive effects, otherwise known as a “high” that is typically affiliated with marijuana. CBD products derived from Hemp are required to have a THC level under .03% in order to be consumed by the public. If you want to give your pets CBD, the CBD must be hemp-based.

For pets, CBD can be given in the form of edibles and oil tincture drops.

Research is still being done on how CBD works for pets. For example, dogs have an endocannabinoid system like humans do, but it is unknown, however, if CBD works the same with their endocannabinoid systems than it does with ours. The effects on CBD have mainly been studied on dogs. Many CBD products are formulated for both dogs and cats since they are the animals that people are most likely to keep as pets.

How may CBD help your pet with health conditions?

Anxiety– Has your dog ever hid under the bed during a particularly loud thunderstorm? Do they get nervous around people? CBD may help reduce feelings of anxiety in your pet.  

Cancer– CBD may have anti-tumor effects. In dogs, it may work to kill cancerous cells and inhibit cancer cell growth. It can also be used in conjunction with other cancer treatments.

Epilepsy– CBD may reduce the seizures of epileptic pets. Almost 5% of all dogs have seizures. Medications used for epilepsy such as potassium bromide and phenobarbital can cause damage to their vital organs. A study published in June 2019 by the American Veterinary Medical Association showed a significant reduction in seizures in a group of 9 dogs over a period of 12 weeks. More research is needed, however, to see if higher doses than the ones used in the study would be more beneficial because the control group had similar numbers to the experimental group. Even though the results were not entirely conclusive, they still showed that the dog’s seizures did respond to CBD in some way.

Pain– CBD may be used to alleviate inflammation or pain in pets caused by arthritis (hip and joint pain), nerve damage, injuries, post-operative pain or injuries. The effects on CBD on dogs with osteoarthritis was studied in 2018 by the Frontiers of Veterinary Science group. Dogs were given 2 mg per 1 kg per body weight of CBD daily for 4 weeks, and results showed the dogs’ pain related to osteoarthritis decreased significantly. They had an increase in physical activity due to this decrease in pain.

Heart-health– CBD may be able to keep your pet’s heart healthy by decreasing high blood pressure and high heart rates, reducing damage to blood vessels.

Appetite Improvement– If your pet does not want to eat, CBD may help them get their appetite back. A pet may not want to eat if they were, for example, experiencing nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy.

Nervous System–CBD may has the potential to help spinal and nervous system issues. It might be able to stop brain cells from deterioration or death and improve symptoms in dogs that suffer these ailments.

Hope that Can CBD Help My Dog? (Part 1) offered some answers to your questions. Continue reading How Can CBD Help My Dog? (Part 2).