CBD for Dogs: Can Hemp Oil Be Your Best Friend’s Best Medicine?

Hemp oil is quickly becoming one of the most popular supplements out there. The interesting fact is that it is also used as a natural medicine for pets. CBD for dogs and cats is gaining popularity fast, and you should know its benefits if you have a furry friend.

Before we go into how healing your pets with CBD works, however, let’s take a step back and cover the basics…

What Is Hemp Oil?

Hemp oil is the product made from a plant called “Cannabis sativa”, also known as “marijuana”. However, this does not mean that it has psychoactive properties or that it can get you high.

You see,the plant “Cannabis sativa” has different parts and you get different results when you consume those parts. Some parts have lower quantities of THC, the biochemical substance that induces the “high” associated with consuming marijuana. Other parts have higher concentration of THC, hence it is used for “getting high”.

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What Kind Of Hemp Oil Do You Need?

Hemp oil in a health-related context can be presented in two ways – either as a hemp seed oil or as a CBD hemp oil.

Hemp seed oil is a nutritional oil made from hemp seeds, one of the most nourishing super-foods on the planet. It packs a lot of healthy fats, antioxidants, minerals and micro-elements. It is also great for your skin and for improving digestion, lowering inflammation and has other health benefits as well.

Although it is very healthy to use in everyday life, hemp seed oil is not a “medicine” per se as it has low concentrations of CBD, the biochemical substance that is responsible for triggering healthy responses in our bodies.

CBD hemp oil, on the other hand, is much richer in CBD (as the name suggests) and its uses are more medicinal rather than nutritional. Studies have shown that CBD hemp oil is effective in treating many chronic health issues, from cancer to diabetes, neurological and psychiatric disorders, chronic pain and many more.

CBD for Dogs: What We Know So Far

As CBD hemp oil is quickly rising in popularity, yet another interesting thing occurs – veterinary marijuana is being researched as well. Although there are no conclusive studies just yet in this direction, some people swear by CBD hemp oil for fantastic results for their pets’ healing.

CBD hemp oil’s popularity is raising so much that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has also begun lobbying for further research into the subject by the federal government. The organisation has even posted testimonials from pet owners using CBD on their website. Times are changing for the use of CBD – both for pet owners and their pets.

According to the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, marijuana toxicosis in animals increased alongside medical marijuana use in Colorado. Marijuana toxicosis happens when the psychoactive properties in marijuana cause anxiety, abnormal behavior, diarrhea, vomiting and other negative effects. In some rare cases, ingesting strong doses of marijuana has resulted in animal deaths.

In the same time, based on the available evidence (both anecdotal and otherwise), the side effects related to CBD treatments are both rare and mild.

A quick search online exposes a growing community of pet owners who have begun treating their aging and ailing pets with CBD hemp oil and many, if not most, are reporting extremely positive results.

According to the AVMA, CBD has been used to treat a variety of ailments in animals. This list includes many symptoms that humans also treat with CBD hemp oil themselves as well. Symptoms such as pain, inflammation, seizures, cancer and its associated issues, phobias, digestive issues and anxiety as well.

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Other owners have reported treating their animals with CBD products to offer better palliative care. These owners report that their animals’ quality of life has vastly improved – gaining weight, energy and appetite, and even started wagging their tails and purring again.

One study has shown that 61.8% to 95% of owners approved CBD laced treats for health benefits in their pets.

CBD hemp oil can be useful with both chronic and acute diseases when it comes to dogs (and pets in general).

When it comes to chronic conditions, it can help with arthritis, weak immune systems, stress responses, aggression and digestive issues. There are also studies researching CBD hemp oil’s effects on Type 1 diabetes, organ diseases and cancer.

Veterinarians are also finding that CBD hemp oil can be useful in treating acute ailments like sprains and strains, torn ligaments, bone breaks and even in post-operative care to reduce swelling, pain and stiffness.

If your dog is taking conventional drugs for any of the above-mentioned conditions, CBD hemp oil may make it possible to use lower doses of the drugs to achieve therapeutic effects – hence avoiding potential side-effects as well.

Not All CBD Hemp Oil Is Created Equal

There are many companies trying to jump onto the “CBD hemp oil” train – including specialized CBD oil for dogs and cats. However, it is critical for pet owners to understand where the CBD hemp oil is sourced from. That is because various degrees of radioactivity and toxicity is present in these crops and surely you want the best for your dog (and other pets). Try to avoid using CBD for dogs if it’s sourced from Russia or China.

That is why it is extremely important to know where your CBD hemp oil is sourced from, and choose the best option for you and your dog.

It is useful to keep in mind that CBD hemp oil does not have any psychoactive properties so it will not get your pets “high”. Dogs and cats lack the ability to effectively metabolize THC, the psychoactive element in the cannabis plant.

It can be very dangerous to give your pet anything containing any psychoactive levels of THC, such as medical marijuana products now being sold in much of the United States. Remember to buy hemp products with THC concentrations under 0.03%!

Make sure that you also start from a low dosage and be patient – the results do not occur overnight!

CBD hemp oil might just be the miracle your dog is waiting for – offer him the best care he deserves.