Cannabis for pets? You better believe it! As more of us catch on to the medical benefits of this non-intoxicating cannabinoid CBD, pet lovers are turning to this gentle, plant-based intervention to help their furry friends.
With National Pet Month around the corner in May, our lives get drawn more and more out into the world with the downward slope of the pandemic. Even though our love for them hasn’t changed, many pets are experiencing increased separation anxiety with the change. CBD may help our beloved pets cope.
Beyond anxiety management, CBD for pets can extend to symptom management of arthritis and other health concerns. If you’re considering trying CBD for dogs or cats, this post is for you—and your furry friend!
CBD for Cats and Dogs: An Introduction
You’re probably familiar with THC, the major cannabinoid (and the one responsible for its intoxicating “high”). CBD is another major cannabinoid, but unlike THC, it imparts at most a very mild, slightly stimulating psychoactivity. This makes it well suited for those who shouldn’t be exposed to THC: Children, those who find THC distracting or unwanted, and pets. At present, CDB is recognized for imparting a long list of therapeutic effects in people. It’s been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, to fight anxiety and insomnia, and it reduces the instances of certain types of seizures.
For the moment, though, we should point out that there is little clinical evidence demonstrating CBD’s anxiolytic (or anti-anxiety) effects in dogs. That’s mostly because there hasn’t been much study on CBD in pets. One study, while supporting CBD’s safety, couldn’t demonstrate anxiolytic effects for canines.
Still, given the large body of anecdotal—that is, self-reported—evidence, it’s not much of a stretch to suggest the use of CBD for dog anxiety, as well as for quelling anxious behaviors in cats.
In fact, in early in 2017, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA)—the pre-eminent veterinarians’ organization in the United States—approved a resolution to begin advocating for federal rescheduling of cannabis, arguing that cannabis’ therapeutic benefits for pets (and their owners) far outweighs their risks.
What’s the Best CBD Oil for Dogs with Arthritis?
As we mentioned a moment ago, CBD demonstrates strong anti-inflammatory and pain-killing qualities in both humans and pets. Here, the clinical evidence matches the anecdotal: A study on CBD and canine arthritis found that the cannabinoid offered significant pain relief with no side effects.
Keeping Pets Safe and Happy With CBD
If you’re planning to use CBD for dogs, it should naturally be completely THC free. While some pet owners might imagine their pets would enjoy the relaxing psychoactivity of THC, remember that our pets lack the frame of reference their owners do.
When pets have ingested cannabis continuing THC, for instance by accident, anecdotal evidence indicates they find it disorienting, and even frightening. That’s why we advise you to choose CBD-only cannabis products to ensure the safest and gentlest treatment for your pet.
Fortunately, that’s not difficult to do. In addition to being sourced from cannabis, CBD can be derived from the hemp plant, a close relative of cannabis. Because hemp contains only trace amounts of THC, hemp-derived CBD is throughout the United States, even as Federal guidelines on the medicine remain unclear. That’s why many veterinarians feel that hemp-derived products are the best CBD for dogs. While the products we sell are packaged for human consumption, we do offer a number of CBD-only tinctures that can be given to your pets.
Do you have other questions about CBD for dog anxiety? Just ask! We’re always here to help.
