CBD for Pets
A lot of people get this comical idea when they hear of medicinal marijuana for pets, some even say something stupid like,”You wanna give my dog weed?" That is totally not the case. Nobody is going to make your pet smoke or ingest weed in any way. However, Cannabidiol (CBD) can be used in the treatment of various ailments in animals. It has already been established that CBD helps with various human conditions, so we are going to look into its effect on animals too.
Before I go on, I'd like to warn people who may attempt to give their pets untreated recreational marijuana. This is VERY dangerous !!! The untreated marijuana contains THC which is the compound that is responsible for causing the "High" sensation. THC is poisonous to animals! Call your vet right away if you think your pet has ingested or been around marijuana.
Signs and symptoms:
Wobbly movements, like a person who is drunk
Dribbling urine
A dazed or glazed look in the dog's eyes
Low temperature
Nervousness
Cannabidiol however, can be safe for animals as it does not contain the mind-altering THC chemicals.
Pure CBD is taken from special breeds of marijuana that have been carefully bred in hemp farms. Their rich content of CBD and other useful cannabinoids.
CBD is only regarded as pure if it contains no more than 0.3% of THC. It is safe to use for medicinal purposes.
Now, let's go back to the use of CBD for pets and it’s beneficial qualities.
There have been a lot of studies and theories published on this subject with many of them trying to prove that CBD is good for animals. I will suggest that you don't take the words of these theorists or myself before you consult with your vet. Then you can decide what is best for you and your pets. .
One study tried to prove the importance of cannabinoids in animals using European starlings. The study showed that male starlings with higher expressions of CB1 receptors exhibited higher dominance in nesting sites and even sang more to females.
Another study showed that ailments experienced by animals and aging humans can be quite similar and thus if an ailment exhibited by humans is cured by CBD then similar ailments in animals can also be cured using CBD.
Example of such ailments include:
Parasitic infections
Cancer
Pain
Rheumatoid arthritis
Skin problem
Glaucoma
Bacterial infections
Irritable bowel syndrome IBS
Inflammation
Epilepsy
Spasms and many more.
Considering the fact that endocannabinoid receptors in humans are similar to those in many animals, it makes sense that CBD could treat illness in cats, dogs and other pets.
CBD dosage for the pets.
When it comes to CBD dosage for humans, the situation is complicated for a lot of reasons. The main being that CBD is a biphasic compound ( i.e the effects at low dosage is drastically different to the effects at high dosage.) Which means it’s always better to under-dose than to overdose on CBD. If it's a case of severe ailments like seizures, higher doses seem to be more effective. However, with some cases like inflammation, low to medium doses should be enough for your pet.
Whatever dosage you give to your pet, after administering the CBD, stay with your pets for as long as possible to check if they are okay and that there are no side effects.
Pure CBD contains little to no toxic properties so overdosing may not result in any fatalities, however it is better to be safe than sorry. The commonly reported side effects of CBD in pets include sedation and huge appetites. The more serious side effects usually occur when the CBD administered contains contaminations and this can be very dangerous depending on the contaminants.
Do not forget to ask your vets for advice before giving your pet any CBD treats, oils or supplements.