Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, is a chemical found in marijuana. Besides CBD, THC is also found in marijuana, but THC will get you high, unlike CBD.
The chemical is extracted from the plant and made into oil, among other things. Out of all the application methods of CBD, the oil is the most common form. It is claimed that CBD can help relieve anxiety symptoms, treat inflammation, help deal with seizures, and even be used for pain management.
While CBD is beneficial for humans, it is also equally helpful for dogs.
CBDs for dogs are a relatively new phenomenon, but they work on the same principle as CBD for humans.
When your dog is going through some trauma, pain, or dealing with a severe illness, CBD allows them to stay calm and relaxed as it helps with pain management. Each day more and more pet owners are contemplating using CBD for their dogs, as they are stunned with this natural wellness remedy.
If you have not used CBD for your dogs, then you might be wondering what it will help with? So, here are some of the uses of CBD for dogs.
1. Arthritis
Like humans, dogs also suffer from arthritis. It is an ailment wherein inflammation around the bones and joints increases, restricting movement. Arthritis also makes the bones stiff, making it difficult for the dogs to conduct their daily activities.
It is observed that at least one in four dogs will develop arthritis as they get older.
While there are medicines for arthritis, after a certain age, treating arthritis becomes difficult, and the only thing you can do for your dog is to help them deal with the pain.
Subsequently, CBD effectively treats inflammation since it has metabolic pathways, similar to the anti-inflammatory drugs veterinarians might prescribe for your dog. Unlike prescription medicines that might have some side effects, CBD is completely natural.
So, if you give your dogs CBD oil in the prescribed dosage, it will help them deal with pain.
2. Seizures
There are numerous reasons why dogs can have seizures, and idiopathic epilepsy is the most common type of seizure diagnosed in dogs. This seizure can be caused by liver damage, kidney failure, trauma to the brain, poisoning, compromised immune system, and ingestion of toxins.
There are medications for seizures, but they might have side effects on your dog, or to cure the trigger effectively, your dog might need surgery. Most senior dogs can not survive the long and complex surgeries.
On the other hand, seizures are the primary research area where veterinarians and researchers are focusing their efforts. Inevitably, seizures have become the most focused upon practice area in terms of CBD oils.
Research suggests that CBD can help manage idiopathic epilepsy. While CBD will not treat the seizures altogether, it will help reduce the frequency of such seizures.
But, before giving your dog CBD oil for their seizures, you must consult with the veterinarian first.
3. Side effects of cancer
Cancer is a terminally ill ailment, and it may have multiple adverse effects on your dog’s health.
While there is no definite shot cure for cancer, chemotherapy can somewhat help eliminate the cancer-causing cells in the body. However, chemotherapy has tons of side effects that can hamper your dog’s daily life.
Chemotherapy will cause symptoms like vomiting, nausea, dehydration, loss of bladder control, tiredness, and other such related symptoms.
CBD oil will not treat cancer, but it will serve as a pain reliever for your dog.
4. Anxiety
So, if you have raised a puppy during the lockdown and now you have started going back to the office, you might notice a dip in your pet’s energy level. Most dogs are not used to leaving their master side.
In the long term, this can cause anxiety wherein your dogs could cause a tantrum, lose their appetite, lose their motivation to play, and you might even notice other behavioral changes.
CBD can help your dog feel more calm and relaxed, and they would not have a hard time adjusting without you.
Moreover, the anxiety triggered by pain or inflammation can also be relieved with the use of CBD oil.
How to Choose the Suitable CBD Oil for Your Dogs?
Buying a CBD oil is not as easy as buying coffee, as there are multiple brands, and each brand varies in efficacy. If you are purchasing CBD oil, you must conduct thorough research before choosing the best oil.
Here are some of the ways to conduct your research.
- Firstly, you must read up on the opinion of industry experts on the particular brand and their products. To be sure, you must also look at any testing results or other related material the brand has published on their website.
- Take a look at customer reviews, as they are one of the most important aspects while determining the efficacy of any kind of product.
- Read the dosage instruction, possible side effects, and ingredients of the product.
- Ask the veterinarian for their opinion on the particular brand’s CBD oil.
- Think about the cost of CBD oil and compare it with other shortlisted brands.
- Any brand that has followed due diligence while making the CBD oil will always be transparent and publish all the related information. So, if a CBD oil manufacturer is not lucid about the ingredients, results, and other things, stay away from the brand. The kind of CBD oil you need for your dog depends upon their weight, and many products are classified into breed sizes – small, medium, or large dog breeds.
- Take a look at the potency of the CBD product. The potency simply refers to the amount of CBD in the oil, measured in milligrams per volume.
- No matter how much source material you read regarding CBD oil, its efficacy will only be measured once you have noticed any favorable effects on your dogs. So, initially, it is best to buy small sizes of CBD oil.
So, before purchasing CBDs for dogs, consult with the veterinarians about the right dosage for your dog. Ensure that you do not give them more than the prescribed dosage.
