I agree with Robert Wagner for saying, “Pets have more love and compassion in them than most humans.” We lavish our pets with care and attention for we know their love.
With CBD being legal since 2018, it was only a matter of time before we started wondering whether it was as beneficial to pets as it was to humans.
Various experiments have been carried out with the result being that cannabidiol is every bit as useful to pets.
In this post, we lay bare all the things that you need to know before you introduce your pet to CBD.
Is CBD Safe for Your Pets?
It’s safe for your pet to indulge in cannabis, and most pets not just respond well but they experience a drastic change in terms of energy and wellbeing.
Cannabidiol is loaded with numerous nutrients that promote pet health but to realize all these benefits, you have to administer it regularly.
Pets may ingest it in different ways, and each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages.
Before you give cannabidiol to your dog, it’s always important to involve a veterinary officer, to find out whether your pet has any underlying health problems that might get in the way.
For instance, if your pet has liver problems, your veterinary officer may suggest not giving them because it can exert a strain on their digestive health.
Another factor to keep in mind is that low-quality products can affect your pet. So, ensure that you buy only quality products.
How Does CBD Work in Pets?
Every living organism with a spinal column has the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), which facilitates various physiological functions, supported by cannabinoid receptors situated throughout the body.
Cannabidiol interacts with the ECS to influence different homeostatic and physiological activities. The quickness of results is dependent upon several factors including age, health status, and potency.
The three vital parts of the Endocannabinoid System are metabolic enzymes, cannabinoid receptors, and endocannabinoids.
Metabolic enzymes promote the synthesis of endocannabinoids, and cannabinoid receptors are located throughout the body, promoting various functions. Endocannabinoids are critical in the activation of cannabinoid receptors.
Cannabidiol interacts with the Endocannabinoid System to augment the overall well-being of your pet.
How Do I Administer CBD To Pets?
More people are warming up to the idea of giving their pets CBD, but when you buy hemp products for your pet, you may still not be sure as to the correct dosage, or the right method of administering.
The following are some of the ways to administer to your pets:
Oral ingestion: this method involves depositing the oil in your pet’s mouth. Just have them walk up to you and seize the opportunity to put a dropper in their mouth and squeeze. If your pet has a nauseated look, reach for some treats, to ensure they don’t vomit.
You want to make the ingestion of CBD oil as fun as can be, or else your pet will develop a bad feeling over it, running off next time he sees you with the bottle.
Infuse a treat with CBD oil: this is particularly helpful when your pet is young and too sensitive to taste and smells. Use CBD oil when preparing their food or dip their treats in CBD oil before giving it to them.
Topicals: you can massage CBD enriched topicals into your pet’s paws and body, and the CBD will get absorbed via their skin, helping them recover from various health problems like pain and anxiety.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Administering CBD To Pets?
The main reason the government allows CBD to be given to pets is that it has no THC (the psychoactive chemical compound in marijuana). CBD doesn’t alter your pet’s state of consciousness but it elevates them to tranquil. What are some of its health benefits?
Fights off anxiety: oh yes, anxiety is not just a human plague, but animals share in it as well. Some of the things that usually trigger anxiety in pets include toys, strangers, and getting separated from their owners.
Furthermore, pet anxiety might be situational or behavioral, with situational anxiety being caused by sudden triggers like noise or the presence of strangers, whereas behavioral anxiety is fuelled by past experiences like cruel treatment.
If you’re not attentive to your pet’s behaviors, you might easily miss the signs of anxiety, and they include shaking, averseness to go outdoors, barking, and drooling.
But you can fight off anxiety in your pet by introducing them to CBD.
Fights off infections: if your pet has an infection, you may catch them vomiting, diarrhea, or acting withdrawn. Infections need to be intercepted early or else they might balloon into a serious health problem or even cost your pet’s life.
CBD oil is effective at eliminating various infections, whether it be bacterial, parasitic, fungal, or viral infections. Giving your pets infused treats ensures that these infections are eliminated as soon as they pop up, thus promoting the health of your pet round the clock.
Relieves pain: both young and old pets like playing around, with the result sometimes being injuries. Thankfully, CBD possesses a tremendous pain relief property, helping pets recover quickly from their broken skin or pulled muscle or inflamed body part.
What Quantity Of CBD Should I Give My Pets?
First off: is there such a thing as giving your dog too much CBD? Surprisingly, the answer is no, because the excess CBD will get swept out along with excrement.
But this mustn’t be taken as an invitation to give your dog excess CBD, because it may result in some unflattering side effects like prolonged thirst and sweating.
The appropriate amount of CBD to give your dog is dependent upon several factors like your dog’s health status, age, and CBD concentration.
Most veterinary officers advocate for administering CBD oil to pets depending on the weight of the pet.
The table below shows estimates for the proper dosage:
| WEIGHT | DOSAGE |
| 5 – 10 pounds | 0.25 mg |
| 10 – 20 pounds | 0.5 mg |
| 20 – 40 pounds | 1 mg |
| 40 – 60 pounds | 2 mg |
| 60 – 80 pounds | 3 mg |
| 80 – 100 pounds | 4 mg |
| 100 – 120 pounds | 5 mg |
| 120 – 140 pounds | 6 mg |
How different is pet cannabidiol from human cannabidiol?
Some cannabidiol products for humans may very well be consumed by pets too without any problems, but for the most part, human cannabidiol products mustn’t be given to pets.
Pet companies are manufacturing infused products purposed towards pets and that’s what pet owners ought to stick with.
The major difference between cannabidiol for humans and cannabidiol for pets is the level of concentration and also added nutrients.
What are the side effects of pet cannabidiol?
When evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment method, we cannot fail to look at its side effects, but there is an extremely small percentage of people who experience them.
The side effects of cannabidiol are not made manifest in most pets as well, except when the dosage is incorrect. The following are some of the common side effects in pets:
Dry mouth: when you give your pet more cannabidiol than is appropriate for their weight, health, and size, you may catch him being too thirsty afterward. This can inconvenience him in several ways including urinating too much and needing water now and again.
Diarrhea: your pet can also experience diarrhea as a result of consuming too much cannabidiol. This condition can also stop him from wanting to eat.
Fatigue: if your pet consumes too much cannabidiol, he may act withdrawn because of his low energy levels, and shy away from people.
Low appetite: taking an excessive amount of cannabidiol may lead to loss of appetite in your pet.
What are the factors to consider when buying cannabidiol for dogs?
Sadly, like any other industry, the cannabidiol market is plagued with bad players who are out to make a profit at the expense of unsuspecting customers.
And so, before you purchase any cannabidiol product, make sure it tallies with the factors below:
Organic: especially if you’re buying cannabidiol oil, you want it to have been prepared with organically-grown industrial hemp, free of pesticides and fungicides.
Avoid abnormally low prices: this is one of the weapons that scammers use; for they know that people are susceptible to low prices, but here’s the thing, if the price is bizarrely low, it could mean that the ingredients are substandard. Stay away and hopefully the bad player runs into losses enough to trigger a change of heart.
Customer reviews: check to see what previous customers are saying; you will get a glimpse of the value of their products, and also take in new information.
What if my dog or cat gets high from cannabidiol oil?
Nothing sounds more alarming than a cat or a dog experiencing a high; it could lead to a lot of trouble in the house. Thankfully, cannabidiol contains a negligible amount of THC, sometimes zero THC content, thus your furry friend cannot possibly get high and give you a scare!
Also, remember that the power and effects of cannabidiol can depend on the product, with cannabidiol oil causing powerful and quick effects, and treats having the slowest effect.