CBD for dogs is becoming a popular supplement. Many dog owners have awakened to the refreshing benefits of CBD and are administering it to their dogs.
If you want to give your dog some CBD, it’s simple as buying the products online and administering them to your dog. Yet many dog owners feel they need to involve a vet.
They typically visit a vet to find out whether it’s healthy to administer CBD to dogs and to establish what CBD products are ideal for dogs, and the proper administration methods.
You know what, going to your vet before giving your dog some CBD is a good move.
The Role of Vets in Pet Health
If you have a dog, you have probably taken them to the vet one or more times. The importance of contacting a vet for your dog’s wellness cannot be gainsaid.
The vet examines your dog to check to see whether they are in full health. Constant examination of your dog helps with the early detection of health problems.
Vets also help with identifying abnormal behaviors in dogs and tracing the causes of these behaviors. For instance, a rescue dog might have behavioral issues because of neglect and abuse.
As the years pass and your dog ages, they become vulnerable. Vets’ tips for handling senior dogs play a critical role in improving the wellness of senior dogs.
Do Vets Sell CBD for Dogs?
Talking to a vet before administering CBD to your dog is a recommendable thing, but then the situation is a bit tricky considering the restrictions imposed on vets.
The American Veterinary Medical Association restricts vets from prescribing or administering CBD products for dogs, and different stories have been told as to why this happens.
Even though CBD is legal at the state and federal levels, not enough studies have been done to bring out the truth about the full advantages and disadvantages of CBD for dogs.
Such uncertainties, it has been pointed out, might have driven The American Veterinary Medical Association into taking pre-emptive safety measures.
Prescribing and administering a supplement is not the same as selling it. The extraction and sale of CBD is legal, and so, vets have the right to sell CBD to dogs.
Technically, vets are free to sell CBD, but they generally don’t do it.
Do All Vets Support CBD for Dogs?
There are thousands of vets practicing in the US. However, these vets have different viewpoints when it comes to CBD for dogs.
A huge percentage of vets are in support of CBD for dogs, and if the FDA approves the production of CBD-based supplements for dogs, most vets will support CBD for dogs.
Some vets have probably not been exposed to the whole CBD thing, or haven’t monitored any dog on CBD, and may feel distrustful of cannabidiol as an instinct thing.
Again, some vets could have developed a negative perception toward CBD after a not-so-good personal experience with a dog (or dogs) that consumed CBD.
According to preliminary research and anecdotal evidence, CBD has numerous benefits. Thus, in the fullness of time, vets will accept CBD for dogs to be healthy.
Questions to Ask Your Vet About CBD for Dogs
Vets are typically knowledgeable about everything that concerns dogs, and you can ask them various questions about how CBD may help (or not help) canines.
1. How will CBD affect my dog’s health? I mean, the last thing you want is to administer some CBD to your dog only to notice them exhibiting health problems. Have your dog examined and let the vet tell you whether your dog may develop any health issues.
2. What’s the proper CBD dosage for my dog? If you administer insufficient CBD to your dog, you might not get any results, and if you administer excessive CBD to your dog, you may predispose them to various side effects. Ask your vet about dosage tips for CBD for dogs.
3. What’s the best method of administering CBD to dogs? There are diverse CBD products out there, and these products are given to dogs in different ways. Your vet may suggest ideal CBD products and ingestion methods considering the status of your furry friend.
4. Will there be any drug interactions? If your dog is taking other medical supplements, and then you administer CBD to them, there’s a potential for drug interaction. Ask your vet whether your dog is at risk.
5. Will my dog experience any side effects? Anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD for dogs typically has no side effects, but depending on certain factors like health status, there have been various side effects. Ask your vet whether your dog has a likelihood of getting any side effects.
6. How do I choose quality CBD products for my dog? There’s a sea of CBD brands out there, but some of these brands are untrustworthy, and so, you have the responsibility of choosing quality CBD products. Your vet can give you pointers about selecting quality CBD products.
The Real Reasons Why Vets Recommend CBD for Dogs
Since the extraction and sale of CBD was legalized, many studies have brought out the fact that CBD has numerous therapeutic benefits. The vets who are familiar with these benefits are typically supportive of the whole CBD for dogs. Regular administration of CBD to dogs may help in diverse ways.
1. Minimizing separation anxiety: does your dog display weird mannerisms whenever you leave them behind and go to your job? Violent behavior is an indication of separation anxiety [1]. CBD has been suggested to calm dogs down and make them secure even when their owners leave.
2. Reduce blindness risk: when a dog struggles with its eyesight, it makes for all sorts of pitiable situations. Although blindness might kick in with age, there are different factors like infections or tumors that may increase a dog’s predisposition to blindness. CBD has been suggested to deter various canine infections and tumors [2].
3. Pain and inflammation relief: dogs are energetic and adventurous, and more often than not, they get themselves in situations where pain or inflammation follows. Whether it be caused by a health issue or an injury, pain and inflammation typically make the dog uncomfortable. CBD has been suggested to help with minimizing pain and inflammation [3].
The Takeaway: Vets Support CBD for Dogs
Many dog owners have been taking their dogs to vets before administering CBD to their dogs. Government rules are somewhat limiting toward vets about CBD for dogs, yet many vets are in support of administering CBD to dogs. If the FDA approves the use of CBD in manufacturing dog medicine, all vets might jump aboard.
Sources:
- Corsetti, S., Borruso, S., Malandrucco, L., Spallucci, V., Maragliano, L., Perino, R., … & Natoli, E. (2021). Cannabis sativa L. may reduce aggressive behaviour towards humans in shelter dogs. Scientific reports, 11(1), 1-10.
- Henry, J. G., Shoemaker, G., Prieto, J. M., Hannon, M. B., & Wakshlag, J. J. (2021). The effect of cannabidiol on canine neoplastic cell proliferation and mitogen‐activated protein kinase activation during autophagy and apoptosis. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, 19(2), 253-265.
- Hammell, D. C., Zhang, L. P., Ma, F., Abshire, S. M., McIlwrath, S. L., Stinchcomb, A. L., & Westlund, K. N. (2016). Transdermal cannabidiol reduces inflammation and pain‐related behaviours in a rat model of arthritis. European Journal of Pain, 20(6), 936-948.