How CBD Can Help Dogs?

In recent years, the use of CBD oil for medicinal and recreational use has been steadily growing. 

And while it has become legal for human consumption thanks to the numerous benefits that medicinal marijuana and CBD offers, most pet parents wonder if they can give the same benefits to their lovable four-legged family member. 

While veterinary scientific research for CBD dog use is still in its infancy, several vets are recommending CBD for treating certain problems in dogs. 

CBD Oil: What Exactly Is It?

CBD or Cannabidiol is extracted from the buds and flower of cannabis (hemp or marijuana plant). However, it does not produce the notorious “high” that is mostly associated with marijuana since it does not have the chemical THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. 

The Benefits of CBD For Dogs

Pain Management and Anti-Inflammatory

A 1997 study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology revealed that the endocannabinoid system was involved deeply in pain management. 

Today, CBD is well-known for its painkilling properties. It helps in managing pain in several ways. You can check out this review of HolistaPet CBD which will give you a glimpse of what’s it’s like to give CBD to your Dog.

One, studies revealed that CBD helps in temporarily stopping anandamide absorption, a chemical that reduces pain signals in the brain.

Such a temporary increase in anandamide offers numerous effects including reducing pain sensations.

Also, CBD has been shown to be an excellent anti-inflammatory. This is one of the main reasons why CBD is quite useful in treating several conditions. 

This anti0-inflammatory attributes of CBD are believed to be associated with its ability to interact with the receptors of the immune cells. By stimulating these receptors, the substance can evoke several immune responses, including inflammation management. 

Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and arthritis are characterized by chronic inflammation. By lowering inflammation, you also reduce pain and other symptoms. In theory, this anti-inflammatory benefit can be seen in arthritic dogs as well as back pain from IVDD or intervertebral disc disease. 

Studies revealed that CBD can indeed provide significant pain relief in arthritic dogs when given CBD two times a day at the appropriate doses. 

Seizures

Perhaps another well-known medicinal uses of CBD is its ability to help control tremors, seizures, spasms, and tics. 

This is because CBD is an anticonvulsant. Numerous studies have proven that CBD can indeed help manage a wide variety of spasms, tremors, and seizures. For instance, several studies revealed that CBD can help manage seizures due to epilepsy and some research has shown that both THC and CBD can manage spasticity due to sclerosis as well as managing tremors and tics due to Tourette’s Syndrome. 

These studies, however, applies to people and research for pets is limited. Still, in regards f idiopathic epilepsy, there are some studies suggesting that CBD can be useful in lowering the chances of seizures in dogs. However, such benefits can be seen only with dogs given with traditional anti-seizure medicines at the same time. 

Cancer

Caners and tumors are common in dogs and other pets, and in most cases, fatal. Even with the advancement of technology, there is still no cure for cancer, with treatments only focus on slowing down the tumor as well as reducing pain and its symptoms. 

The most common treatment would be chemotherapy. Unfortunately, it can produce a broad variety of side effects including lethargy, diarrhea vomiting and the loss of appetite. 

Fortunately, new research revealed the CBD offers unique anti-cancer effects. New studies are starting to explore just how CBD can help slow down the spreading and growth of cancer as well as reducing tumor size. 

In people, CBD can be possibly used to treat tumors directly or in treating symptoms of chemotherapy and enhancing its effects. 

And while there is little research done on the use of CBD for dogs with regards to cancer, a study revealed that the anti-nausea effects of CBD has been documented in ferrets and rats and suggested that dogs can benefit from it too. 

Antiemetic

Vomiting and nausea are pretty common for dogs, it can be caused by cancer treatment as mentioned above or other specific conditions. 

Both in dogs and humans, nausea and vomiting can have serious symptoms including decreased appetite, dehydration, rapid weight loss, and fatigue. And while there are several drugs available to control vomiting and nausea, they can have side effects including strong sedation, hypotension, lethargy, excessive drooling, and diarrhea. 

CBDis a powerful antiemetic that controls vomiting and nausea while stimulating the appetite. CBD stimulates the 5-HT1A receptors that reduce the feelings of nausea and suppressing the vomiting reflex. 

Anxiety

CBD does not just deal with physical symptoms. Numerous studies revealed that CBD I a great drug to manage symptoms of several mental conditions, especially anxiety. 

Just like humans, dogs can also suffer from stress, anxiety, and phobias causing destructive behavior like chewing, persistent barking, defecating and urinating, tremors and aggression. 

CBD has shown powerful attributes in reducing anxiety and its symptoms. In theory, it is possible the CBD, by reducing inflammation and pain, can indirectly reduce anxiety caused by inflammation and pain. 

In addition, research suggests that CBD targets the 5-HT1A receptor mentioned before, increasing serotonin level in the brain and improving mood while reducing feelings of fear or anxiety. 

CBD For Dogs: Are There Any Possible Side Effects?

While there is still no scientific data on the side effects of CBD in dogs there may be some potential side effects based on how the substance affects people. These may include:

Lowered Blood Pressure

High CBD dosage can cause a temporary drop in blood pressure which can cause a brief feeling of lightheadedness.

Dry Mouth

Studies revealed that CBD can decrease saliva production. For dogs, this can manifest as increased thirst. 

Drowsiness

For dog parents who used CBD to treat their pet’s anxiety, the calming effect of the substance can cause drowsiness, particularly in higher doses. 

The Correct CBD Dosage for Dogs

Experts and vets urge the public to use caution when giving their pups CBD, mainly because there have not been enough studies to prove its efficiency as well as the safe dosage level. 

And while there are no regulated dosage levels yet, here are some tips from holistic vets:

1. First, you need to consult with your veterinarian before giving your pup any CBD treatments. 
2. You need to start with a low dosage of 0.25 mg daily then slowly increase as needed. Make sure that you monitor your pup’s response to CBD. 
3. Determine the size weight and activity level of your dog as these factors can help you understand how your dog will metabolize the substance. 
4. Consider any health conditions that can affect your dog’s ability to metabolize or react with CBD, for instance, kidney or liver problems. 
5. Make sure to use only high-quality CBD products that are free of toxins. Because the industry is not yet regulated, there are a lot of scams and sketchy products for sale out there. 
6. Also, make sure that you get the right potency for your pup’s size. Most products come in CBD potencies, for instance, 300 mg or more for larger breeds and 75 mg for the smaller breeds. 

Conclusion

CBD, being a new player in the medical industry, still needs some studies to prove if it is really effective for various treatments in both humans and dogs. 

While it is widely used in treating diseases in humans, there is still limited research on its effects on your four-legged buddy. So, if you wish to try its beneficial properties for your dog’s symptoms, then just make sure that you consult with your vet first.