Does CBD help dogs and are there any side effects? This is what dog owners ask these days after hearing about the famous CBD. And with the increase in interest of CBD, there is a tremendous increase in information on the web as well. A lot of websites circulate information and CBD is a trendy topic these days. But, in this article, we hope you will clearly understand what is CBD, what are the benefits for dogs, and if there are any side effects.
What we clearly see is that people after using CBD products for themselves and seeing the benefits are starting to use it for their pets. People use CBD products such as CBD oil to benefit from the wide range of therapeutic properties CBD consists of. They use it to help against health issues and disorders and it is working well. Using that fact, and the fact that dogs can also suffer from the same health issues, like stress or anxiety, they are using it to help dogs as well. That is understandable because we want the best for our four-legged friends.
But, before you decide which product to purchase it is important to understand a few things.
What is CBD for dogs?
The compound that we shortly call CBD, is an active ingredient of cannabis plants. Cannabidiol is mostly found on hemp, which is a cannabis Sativa strain that may contain up to 20% CBD and less than 0.3% THC. When it comes to understanding CBD it is impossible not to mention THC, which is another cannabinoid present in cannabis plants. These two cannabinoids have many benefits, but there is a significant difference between the two. CBD is better than THC because besides therapeutically beneficial, it does not have psychoactive effects on users. That is not the case with THC, which gives marijuana its psychoactive effects. So, between the two cannabis Sativa varieties:
- hemp or industrial hemp – has more CBD than marijuana and less THC than marijuana(less than 0.3%)
- marijuana – is high on THC and low on CBD, thus very addictive
This is the reason why when wanting to obtain CBD, hemp is the best possible choice.
How quickly does CBD work in dogs?
CBD has many beneficial effects, but that does not mean that you can use as much CBD as you want. In order to get the best from CBD for your dogs, you need to start with small dosages and increase the dosage accordingly until you spot the difference. Just like humans, even dogs have the endocannabinoid system, which controls a lot of organism tasks. CBD in dogs interacts with this system and helps maintain balance and keep a desirable state of health. Before starting to use it we recommend you consult your dog veterinarian for details. You can expect to see positive changes in your dog after a week of daily usage, but it all depends on finding the perfect dosage.
What dog health disorders can CBD help cure?
A lot of scientific research and studies have pointed out the tremendous medicinal properties of CBD. When wanting to make sure about the effects of CBD in dogs, the evidence from dog owners plays a very important role. Who else better than dog owners can explain about the effects CBD is having in their dogs, right?
Many dog owners suggest that CBD for dogs helps against pain, stress, and anxiety. But that is not all CBD can do for the dogs. In fact according to studies CBD for dogs:
- has cardiac benefits
- contains anti-inflammatory properties
- has the anti-nausea effect
- controls weight and appetite
- has anti-anxiety and anti-stress impact
The list is larger but these are the most common effects of CBD in dogs. More studies are underway and the list will most probably get larger after each scientific study.
Can there be any side effects when using CBD in dogs?
While not many dog owners report any side effects because most of them consult vets before starting to use it and do not hurry to reach immediate results for their dogs. But, considering that CBD has the same effects on humans as well as in dogs there are some potential side effects:
- when you do not use CBD in dogs properly, it may result in less saliva production, thus manifesting an increase in thirst
- if you use high doses of CBD, it may cause lower blood pressure, so you should also keep that in mind
- can cause slight sleepiness if using high doses because of its calming effects, when used to calm aggressive dogs
Some very useful tips on using CBD for dogs
Of course, we do not want an overdose for our dogs, so it is advisable to start with small quantities. As mentioned above, start small, monitor, keep track of doses, and increase until you find the perfect dose. A perfect dose is the one that gives the best results without side effects. Before purchasing any CBD product, talk to the vet first. After you decide to try it for your dog keep in mind some tips:
- there are many types of CBD products for dogs and these are not created equal
- it is important that the products you purchase are high quality, so do not buy the cheapest one
- read the manufacturer’s certificate of product which has valuable information
- make sure that there is no THC or less than 0.3% THC in the product
- the best form of giving CBD to dogs is by buying CBD oil for dogs and adjust the dose drop by drop
In conclusion, we must say that we understand and applaud your kind interest in helping your dogs. After the continuing interest in CBD for dogs we gave our best to give you valuable information about the topic. In our opinion and in many experts’ thoughts, in today’s market, there is a big player growing and that player is CBD. In addition to that, it is clear that the future of CBD or CBD for dogs, in particular, is bright. With the increase in demand, there is an increase in production, in competition, and in quality.
