Since the moment we first knew that CBD oil was good for our health, it was only a matter of time before we wondered whether it was just as useful to our furry friends.
Like humans, pets have an endocannabinoid system too, and they can also take CBD oil to enhance homeostasis and eliminate health problems.
The pet CBD market is still young, but we have all kinds of products like treats, sprays, topicals, drops, and bath salts.
If you want to start giving your pet some CBD, you might be in a dilemma over what products to buy and how to administer CBD.
What’s the Best Way to Administer CBD?
There are several methods of giving CBD to your pet, and each of these methods has its pros and cons, thus the best method can be subjective.
For instance, oil drops are highly potent and they make for rapid effects onset, but they still wouldn’t be appropriate for a puppy, as compared to e.g. infused treats, because puppies are incredibly sensitive to taste.
And so, the best method of administering CBD to your pets is dependent upon several factors, including age, weight, and health status.
The following are some of the common methods of administering CBD:
Oral ingestion: it involves placing CBD directly in their mouths. Pet CBD oil drops usually have an oral syringe for dosage purposes. Draw the recommended amount, and place the mouthpiece against your pet’s tongue, and release the CBD oil. You have to be swift and methodical or else your pet might spit it out, especially if they are badly-behaved, but you can avoid this by giving them a treat immediately after giving them CBD oil. You know, CBD oil isn’t the greatest tasting substance but treats help wash down the aftertaste.
Mix CBD with food: when it’s feeding time, mix the CBD oil with their food. As a pet owner, you cannot bring yourself to eat pet food, but your pet often wants to eat your food. How many times you have been enjoying your lunch, only to notice your dog waltz in and come up to you, salivating? Yes, there are many human foods that dogs love, and they’ll give you that pitiful look until you share with them. It could be a perfect chance to give them CBD unbeknownst to them. Whether it be peanut butter, chicken, cheese, eggs, tuna, or pumpkin, you can infuse it with CBD oil before giving it to your pet. It’s important to note that this method of ingestion doesn’t make for high CBD bioavailability, though. Not much of the CBD gets in the bloodstream.
CBD topicals: you can massage various CBD infused creams into your pet’s claws or mouth or skin. The CBD molecules get absorbed through the skin and find their way in the bloodstream. CBD is extremely useful in fighting off skin conditions like a yeast infection, impetigo, and ringworms. With CBD topicals, you won’t face any type of resistance, because none of it gets in the mouth. Topicals are also highly potent, meaning that a small amount can set off strong effects, thus requiring you to administer in your pet just once a day.
CBD infused treats: pets are very psychological beings. They are good at connecting their behavior to how they get treated. Typically, good behavior is rewarded with treats, and so you might want to introduce CBD infused treats. Of course, the pet will still perceive it as a treat, but they are also ingesting CBD. You don’t always have to buy CBD infused treats; you can prepare them at home by e.g. putting a few CBD drops on cookies and biscuits. The easiest way of training your pet to be well-behaved is via treats. So, next time she remembers to pee in her litter, as opposed to the couch, bam, cookies.
Mix CBD oil with water: I mean, pets love drinking water, especially if they have been playing around or eaten something that got their mouths dry. You can put some CBD oil in their water, and they wouldn’t get deterred from drinking anyway, and besides, it’s not like CBD oil has a particularly strong taste. Keeping your pets hydrated ensures that their digestive health is tops and they stay in a good mood.
What Kind of CBD Oil Should I Give to My Pets?
The worst mistake you can do is picking up the first thing you see labeled “CBD oil” and administering it in your furry friend. You should exercise some caution when selecting pet CBD products.
- Only buy CBD products with zero THC content, because you don’t want your dog to experience psychoactive effects, else he gives you a nightmare from his behavior.
- Choose pet tinctures with natural terpenes or some type of flavor enhancement. Dogs are sensitive to how something tastes, and if he associates CBD oil with a bad taste or suffering, next time he sees you with that vial, he might not cooperate.
- Avoid CBD oil extracted from GMO hemp. The effectiveness of CBD oil correlates with how organic the ingredients are. And so, you have to stick to CBD oil extracted from non-GMO industrial hemp.
How Does CBD Oil Benefit Pets?
If you make CBD oil part of your pet’s daily routine, they’ll become strong, happy, and healthy. CBD oil is particularly useful in managing the following health problems:
- Pain
- Skin disorders
- Seizures
- Behavior problems
- Loss of appetite
- Separation anxiety
- Digestive health issues
- Anxiety
- Inflammation
- Panic
- Cancer
Can CBD Overdose Affect Pets?
In human beings, overdosing on CBD cannot be termed risky, because the side effects (if any) are harmless.
But with dogs, you must stick to the recommended dose, or even start with small doses, just to avoid administering more CBD than the dog is supposed to get.
An overdose might cause the cannabinoid receptors in the dog’s brain to react against certain phytochemicals in CBD oil, especially THC.
In worse cases, an overdose could make a dog unable to maintain balance while standing, a condition known as static ataxia.
How Much CBD Oil Should I Administer to My Dog?
The main factor to consider when administering CBD oil to dogs is size. Small dogs can take 1 mg per day, but they have a fast metabolism, and you might have to administer up to thrice daily. Medium dogs can take 2 mg and large dogs can take 3 mg.
Of course, these are bare minimums, and the dosage may be affected by other factors like age and what the dog is ailing from, but start with small doses and make small adjustments to avoid giving your dog an overdose.
