Is CBD Good For Pets?
Modern pet lovers will tell you: CBD for pets is all the rage, offering a variety of benefits to our four-legged friends. However, few formal studies on the efficacy of CBD in mammals — other than humans — have been completed. Organizations like the American Kennel Club’s Canine Health Division have sponsored mainstream clinical trials, so efforts are being made to better understand the relationship between our pets and CBD oil, but definitive results have yet to emerge.
So how do we know if CBD is actually good for our pets?
To answer this question, we must look towards anecdotal evidence: testimonials, the claims of pet owners everywhere, and the observations we gather after administering CBD to our pets. While anecdotal evidence does not stand in place of scientific fact, it does enlighten us to the pet owner experience when giving CBD oil, CBD treats, and other CBD-infused products to our pets.
Why Give CBD To Your Pets?
With a mass of anecdotal evidence in place, we can see that there are definite benefits when giving CBD to our pets. Pet owners overwhelmingly report that CBD may help:
- Reduce pain, especially neuropathic pain
- Better control seizures
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduce nausea
- Reduce anxiety, especially separation anxiety and anxiety induced by loud noises such as fireworks
- Increase appetite
- Increase cardiac health
- Increase overall mood
With such reports, it’s easy to see why so many dog and cat (and other pet) owners have turned towards CBD treatment. And on a natural, homeopathic basis, CBD is good for our pets! No evidence has emerged to show that CBD is unhealthy for our canine companions and feline friends, meaning it is perfectly safe to give to your pets.
However, just like all pet-centric medications, you should always start small when first administering CBD to your animals. While the anecdotal evidence may show that CBD will work wonders for animals across the board, we have to remember that all animals have a unique body type and a unique mind. CBD products may affect all animals differently, so it’s important to pay attention to how your pets respond to CBD treatment before jumping headfirst into the world of CBD for pets.
How Does CBD Work In Pets?
In humans, we’ve come to understand that CBD molecules are absorbed by an area of the nervous system known as the endocannabinoid system, or ECS. This system is credited as being one of the main forces regulating homeostasis — that is, the essential balance of chemicals, hormones, moods, etc. — within the body.
It has been proven that all mammals, not just humans, possess an ECS, so it is likely that our pets absorb CBD in a manner almost identically to humans. This would explain why CBD can influence a variety of the same conditions within both animals and humans: pain, anxiety, seizures, inflammation, and more.
Do Pets Get Side Effects From CBD?
Side effects are rarely seen in pets who take CBD. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist, just that they tend to be minimal. Here are the three most commonly reported side effects of CBD in pets:
- Dry mouth, which manifests as increased thirst
- Lowered blood pressure, often minor, which manifests as brief feelings of dizziness
- Increased tiredness
In addition, many CBD products for pets contain the federally-allowed 0.3% THC limit. Pets are often of much smaller build and possess much less body mass than humans, meaning that they are predisposed to respond more intensely to medication and supplements. While it is impossible that the 0.3% THC content found in some pet products would get your pets high, it could influence the tiredness they experience after ingesting CBD products. If you are worried about giving your dog even trace amounts of THC, we recommend finding a THC-free or “Broad Spectrum” CBD pet product.
What To Look For When Buying CBD For Pets
Our pets mean the world to us— in fact, they’re a part of the family! That’s why we only want to give them the best. When purchasing CBD for your pets, always check the complete ingredients list and read all the product information available!
Most importantly, always make sure that your CBD pet products are third-party lab tested. All products found at CBD Choice are required to undergo third-party lab testing prior to being posted on our site because such tests will let you know if any pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fillers, residual solvents, or other harmful manufacturing byproducts found their way into your products. Animals can experience long-term health problems with continued exposure to these substances so always read the independent lab reports to know for sure that what you’re getting is clean, pure, and safe for your pets and pups!
Lastly, don’t merely price shop! You can obviously find some fabulous CBD for pets at a discount, but you should also be aware that lower-cost sometimes indicates lower quality. That's one of the reasons it's so important to shop from only reputable vendors like CBD Choice. Organic products also source from organic farming practices that do not make use of harsh chemicals during hemp cultivation, something every pet owner should look for when purchasing products for their beloved animals.
