420 Warrior
Well-Known Member
Imagine life without our beloved furry friends? Nowadays, ensuring our animals are well looked after (hello Pet Insurance), is as common as caring for any member of the family.
Just as interest has sparked with us humans, the same goes with our cats and dogs and the benefits of using CBD for pets.
So what exactly is all the fuss about? Basically, both animals and humans possess what is called an ‘endocannabinoid system’, which effects different processes in our bodies – such as our immune function, metabolism, memory, pain, etc. CBD activates these endocannabinoids and basically lets them work their magic.
Let’s have a closer look as to what this actually means…What does CBD oil do for pets and how does it affect them?
How exactly will CBD help my pet?
Firstly, let’s clear up one thing. CBD (derived from the Cannabis Hemp plant) is non-psychoactive, unlike its counterpart THC (which is where that ‘buzz’ comes from). Instead, CBD works with different parts of our body in a sort of ‘healing’ process you could say, and it’s just the same for animals.
It could also be argued as a more ‘natural’ approach to treating your animal, straying away from prescribed medicines. It is, after all, essentially made from plants.
If you’ve noticed any recent changes in your doggie, perhaps mood swings, or a loss of appetite in kitty-cat, considering putting them onto CBD oil for pets may just be the best option for Fluffy.
It’s known to help with the suffering caused by pain or inflammation; helps control nausea and stimulates appetite; acts as a stress reliever if your dog is suffering from anxiety, or even depression; as well as helping to control mood swings such as bouts of aggression, social anxiety, or overly fearful animals.
Preventing illness and disease the natural route
Although known to have nine lives, unfortunately not all felines (and canines) are prone from diseases. CBD is also known to help pets with a number of these.
- Helps to control Diabetes (Again, activating those endocannabinoid pathways) and some research shows that using CBD helps to reduce inflammation of the pancreas.
- If your pet suffers from seizures, tremors, spasms or any other convulsing disorders, administering your dog or cat with CBD oil is a fantastic way to help control their fits.
- Arthritis is unfortunately also common in both dogs and cats (anyone else with a German Shepherd I’m sure can testify to this) and many times when old age creeps in, their joints begin to decay. CBD oil for pets is excellent for anti-inflammatory purposes, alleviating some of their pains.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (or IBD) believe it or not is another one pets suffer with, again causing inflammation in parts of the digestive system. It often causes chronic vomiting or diarrhea, which again can be safely treated with CBD oil.
If you’re like some of us and take your daily dose of CBD oil for its overall health benefits, you might be wondering if the same can be administered for pets?
Veterinarians, and others alike, may argue a different point on this, with some of the belief it’s perfectly fine to administer your dog a daily dosage simply for its overall health benefits, such as the prevention of cancer.
Then there’s the opposing opinion that continual doses of CBD among cats and dogs throughout a lifetime could potentially lead to risks such as an elevated liver i.e. inflammation or damage to liver cells.
Our advice?
If you are thinking of starting your pet on CBD oil, make sure you start with a small dose (in accordance with their weight) and go from there. Remember different dogs/cats and their symptoms require different dosages.
Or you may only want to put your pet onto CBD oil once diagnosed with a chronic illness such as diabetes or arthritis, if suffering from symptoms of depression or anxiety, or to use as a natural antiemetic.
What about CBD and the most Senior Citizens of the pack?
Unfortunately, animals aren’t made with superpowers (although some events could prove otherwise), and that means just like us regular humans, our pets too reach the stages of old age eventually.
Not the active, outgoing animals they once were, it’s important we care to their special needs, and you may have noticed some severe changes in your pets behaviour and performance.
Did you know? Elder dogs suffer from Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (or ‘Dog Dementia’) leading to symptoms such as forgetfulness, feeling disorientated, barking/howling for no reason on end, anxiety, and depression.
It’s also no surprise that both cats and dogs suffer from arthritis in their later years, often making it uncomfortable to sleep and move around.
With its incredible anti-inflammatory properties, as well as seriously aiding with sleeplessness and nausea, it only makes sense that CBD oil for pets makes for a fantastic natural alternative to get your best fluffy friend through their last (golden) years.
“Hey doc, my puppy is acting out, is it okay to give them CBD oil?”
source: pixabay
It makes sense that CBD oil works for senior citizens, ahem, we mean, pets, but what about the younger generation? Is it safe for your puppy or kitten to be ingesting CBD oil?
In plain terms? No. Unless (and there always is one) you feel it absolutely necessary should your baby start to show intense/ severe signs of disease and uncontrollable behaviours, such as seizures. In this instance, consult your vet and only administer when necessary, do not keep your young animal on CBD Oil for a consecutive extended period of time.
Some recommend using CBD Oil for puppies with extreme behavioural problems, but do remember, they are young, and acting out is all part of growing up, so this route should try and be avoided unless you feel there is no other alternative.
Human CBD vs Pet CBD
Technically, CBD Oil for human consumption vs CBD Oil for pet consumption, are pretty much the same, both being made from extracting CBD oil from pure Hemp CBD Flower (this should contain only the slightest/next to none traces of THC).
In both instances, the extracted CBD oil is then mixed with a carrier oil, e.g. Coconut Oil, and combined together to formulate the desired ratio and consistency.
So essentially, if you are looking for a CBD Oil for pets specifically and are struggling to find one, you can administer ‘human-grade’ CBD.
However, remember, dogs and cats are a lot more sensitive to both CBD and THC than humans, so make sure you find a top-grade quality manufactured CBD Oil, that’s doesn’t contain any toxins or preservatives, is free from harmful chemicals, contaminants or oils to cats and dogs and contains 0% THC.
Can I buy CBD oil for pets in the UK?
As of today, it’s currently not 100% legal per se to buy Pet CBD Oil according to UK Law (as the laws regarding exact CBD usage in the UK are still in the grey).
However, there are some ways to get around it. Let’s explore!
Considered legal for medicinal purposes, or as a nutritional supplement, getting your hands on CBD oil for your pet involves a trip to the vet where you’ll need to receive a ‘prescription’.
According to the VMD (Veterinary Medicines Directorate), it’s still not legal in the UK to sell animal CBD products, so the veterinarian will prescribe you a human-grade CBD Oil for veterinary purposes.
You can always skip a trip to the vet and buy ‘human’ CBD Oil directly, but please make sure it’s lab-tested and human-grade and don’t forget to administer the correct dosage for animals, NOT humans
Where to go from here?
At the end of the day, the onus is on you to make the final decision as pet-owner, but please, do remember to only treat your pet with their best interests at heart. If animals could speak, I’m sure they’d tell you how much they love you for it.
And if you’re not 100% certain if CBD oil for pets is the right alternative for your animal, please do consult your vet before taking any action!
CBD NEWS TODAY
27 August 2020
