Cannabidiol oil (CBD)is becoming very popular due to its many health benefits. In humans, CBD has been used to offer relief from PTSD, anxiety, sleep disorders, chronic pain, and various other health conditions. Dogs, too, can benefit from CBD, and CBD oil for dogs is proving to have a variety of health advantages for our furry friends.
A growing body of research, and plenty of anecdotal experiences point towards CBD oil having noticeable effects on a dog’s health.
Both humans and dogs have an endocannabinoid system (which helps ensure the body’s many systems stay in homeostasis), so CBD oil for dogs can lead to many of the same positive outcomes for dogs as for humans. The endocannabinoid system plays a big role in regulating mood and general physiology.
Below is a list of some of the many advantages of CBD oil for dogs:
1. Boost In Appetite
You might notice instances where your dog refuses to eat. This can be a tricky situation because it can be very difficult to figure out why your dog won’t eat. Your dog could be hesitant to eat due to nausea, or their appetite could just not be very active. Dog nausea can be caused by eating food too quickly, motion sickness, or manifests due to parasites inside of the intestines. Low appetite can be a sign of sickness in a dog or a dental issue that makes it hard for your pet to eat.
CBD oil for dogs can help with both. It is able to interact with the neurons in your dog’s brain to reduce nausea and stimulate the appetite.
2. Supports Healthy Inflammation Response
Many older dogs struggle with arthritis and other joint maladies. This can slow down your pet and lead to chronic pain. CBD oil for dogs helps block the vanilloid receptors inside of your pet’s brain that regulates pain and swelling, in order to provide some relief. CBD oil is also effective at promoting healthy inflammation response in the joints of pets. This gives your beloved pet a sense of freedom from pain.
A customer told Honest Paws, a company that specializes in CBD oil and treats for pets, how CBD has been “working wonders” on their dog who was suffering from acute arthritis and anxiety. The dog was “sleeping and not yelping in pain anymore” just five minutes after receiving CBD oil by mouth.
3. May Reduce Seizures
It’s estimated up to 5 percent of the dog population experiences seizures and other episodes of tremors. Watching as your pet experiences a chronic seizure can be very stressful.
A lot of prescribed anti-seizure medication for dogs can be expensive and lead to a host of other health complications. For example, a drug like phenobarbital can have negative effects on a dog’s liver and lead to anxiety, amenia, and loss of coordination.
Plus, just like for humans, pharmaceutical drugs is not much of a long-term solution for an ailment.
CBD oil may be a potent and very useful seizure treatment. An author manuscript published in the peer-reviewed Epilepsia journal in 2014 noted how to further support for CBD-based epilepsy treatments was warranted due to favorable evidence for its anti-seizure properties. (Editor’s Note: On July 2018, the FDA approved Epidiolex, a CBD oral solution for treating seizures associated with 2 rare forms of epilepsy)
Many people have said these same properties extend to dogs. In May, Dr. Stephanie McGrath of the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital said her pilot study concerning dogs and CBD was promising. McGrath said 89 percent of the 60 dogs which received CBD during the study had a reduced number of seizures.
Chelsea Rivera, Head of Content Marketing at Honest Paws, noted in an interview how the company was started after her dog’s seizures stopped after consuming CBD oil. Sharing the story of how CBD oil benefited her dog lead to an opportunity to bring CBD to other pet owners.
4. Promotes Relaxation And Positive Mood
Anxiousness is just as common in dogs as it can be in humans. CBD oil for dogs can help balance the hormones in a dog’s brain to soothe the mind and provide relief from environmental stressors. CBD oil is able to respond to serotonin and adenosine receptors to make sure they work properly and stabilize the production of these chemicals.
5. Helps Stop Itching And Scratching
Dogs that seem to scratch themselves continuously might be suffering from a variety of ailments. Hormonal imbalances, pests on the skin, or psychological issues could all be the source of excessive scratching.
Studies have shown CBD is an effective tool to help relieve dry or itching skin. Many dogs suffer from eczema due to genetics. Applying CBD oil (or CBD balms and sprays) on the affected spot has been shown to be a good way to treat ongoing skin issues.
6. Aid Your Pet In Losing Weight
Overweight dogs open themselves up to a wide range of health issues. This can be very expensive for your pocketbook and lead to pain and trauma for your pet.
While CBD oil is not a fat-burning supplement, it has been shown to help indirectly break down fat and control appetite. Both of which are big steps towards getting a dog back to a healthy weight. Plus, since CBD helps with healthy inflammation response in joints. This can make your dog more apt to head outside to enjoy a walk and shed some pounds.
7. Make It Easier (And More Fun) To Train Your Pet
Administering CBD oil to your dog can make training them much easier. Many dogs, especially ones that are younger, are a challenge to train because they lose focus easily and are prone to anxiety. Since CBD oil is an effective tool that promotes relaxation, it can be an effective solution to help your pet focus more on your training instructions.
CBD Oil For Dogs: Finding What’s Best
CBD oil for dogs has no known negative side effects, so it may be a fantastic option to support healthy body response toward a wide variety of ailments and health issues your furry friend may be suffering with.
The easiest way to administer CBD oil to your dog is directly in their mouth with the help of an eyedropper. Some owners choose to mix CBD oil into their dog’s food or drop oil in the water bowl instead.
Before you make an investment into CBD oil for dogs, be sure to do your due diligence and research the product. Not all CBD products are created equal. Honest Paws offers CBD oil and treats for dogs that are all-natural, lab-tested, and made without any GMO or soy.
Pet owners should also note that different animal sizes require different CBD dosage amounts. The Honest Paws website contains a dosage calculator where owners can plug in information to get an idea of the right CBD dosage amount for their pet.
Read labels carefully and try to get a copy of any lab reports from the company so you can learn about the extraction method and the actual percentage of CBD in the oil. High-quality CBD oil will give your dog the best chance to experience some of its many health benefits.
Watch the video below to see Honest Paws’ CBD extraction method:
Kevin O’Brien holds a BA in International Affairs and has lived and worked in several countries. He enjoys collecting historical autographs and playing musical instruments.
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