What is CBD Oil for Dogs and How to Know if You Should Start Using it?

By Contributor
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Many pet owners have started to use CBD oil on their dogs as a natural treatment for pain, poor appetites and to induce restful sleep. Still, you’re probably wondering if CBD is a cure-all, a snake oil, or worse, detrimental to your dog’s health.

In this article, we’ll clear up many CBD oil-related myths and discuss whether or not this type of supplementation is right for your pup.

What is CBD Oil? 

CBD (cannabidiol) is derived from hemp or cannabis. However, CBD oil for dogs or other CBD products that are specifically used for medicinal purposes typically take their cannabidiol from hemp.

Since hemp doesn’t contain the compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound that gives marijuana its psychoactive properties, CBD oil won’t make your dog high.

What are the Dangers of Giving CBD to Dogs?

CBD itself is considered incredibly safe to ingest for both dogs and cats. However, it’s essential that you give your pet the recommended dose, or CBD could cause an elevation in ALP, an important liver value.

There’s no evidence to suggest that this is a problem as of now, but even if it is, overdosing on any legally prescribed medication would hurt any animal regardless. 

Some reports say that dogs can become overly sedated or sleepy after taking large doses of CBD, but this resolves itself in time. CBD also doesn’t seem to interact poorly with other medications, but you should still consult your vet before mixing CBD oil with other medicine.

What are the Dangers of Giving THC to Dogs?

Unlike CBD, THC ingestion can cause severe problems for your dog. THC toxicity is the most significant issue, which occurs when your pet becomes high. Depending on the significance of the overdose, your dog could experience symptoms that last for hours, even days.

During these episodes, your pet may not be able to eat, stand, or they may contract respiratory depression.

Never blow marijuana smoke in your dog’s face and only administer CBD oil that contains no trace of THC. Only buy CBD oil from licensed retailers, budtenders, or online stores in states where marijuana is legalized, or the oil could be laced with substances that may hurt your pet.

Why Use CBD for Your Dog?

CBD oil can be helpful for many therapeutic and medical interventions. However, it’s important to discuss with your vet the proper dosage for CBD oil before administering it. Although CBD oil is well researched in humans, CBD usage is under-researched for all pets, including dogs.

However, there is anecdotal evidence that CBD benefits dogs with the following conditions:

  • Arthritis: Since CBD shares metabolic pathways with anti-inflammatory drugs, its benefits for common inflammatory conditions, like osteoarthritis and joint pain come as no surprise to researchers. At least 60% of all dogs will exhibit arthritis symptoms in their lifetime, but CBD oil can provide substantial pain relief for these pups.
  • Seizures: CBD research focuses heavily on its use for preventing or reducing seizures in both humans and animals. It seems that CBD can help reduce the frequency of seizures, but only if it’s also administered with anti-seizure medication.
  • Pain: CBD is beneficial for reducing inflammatory pain, especially back pain from IVDD. Still, most of this research is on humans and also uses THC within the CBD medication. However, under no circumstances should you give THC to your pet, so skip it.

There is some evidence that suggests that CBD oil can help with cancer and anxiety, but there aren’t enough concrete examples of it reducing tumors or inducing calmness. More research is needed in all aspects of CBD oil for treating dog-related illnesses.

CBD oil should not be a substitution for veterinarian care and shouldn’t be used as the sole treatment method.