If you have a pet you would understand the perks of having one. That wagging tail when you get back from work or that innocent cuddle which your pet looks forward to from you become the most positive everyday occurrences of your life. However, at times of firecrackers around, during illness & during thunderstorms, the pets seem to either withdraw themselves completely into the shell or come out of it agitated. And then the realisation dawns on you that taming a pet isn?t an easy undertaking. More than celebrating your love for animals & providing the pawsome friends with the much-deserved care & affection, it is necessary to provide your doggo or kitty with the necessary sense of control & comfort in tough times.
CBD oil & other such products from CBD have come up as an important medication for the little furry friends to help them cope up with such situations with relief & calm.
What is CBD?
CBD or cannabidiol is an extract from the marijuana & cannabis plants. It is the second most concentrated out of the 104 extracts of the plant after THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) & occupies around 40% of the plant in terms of the composition. It is a non-psychoactive component, unlike THC which throws the user into euphoric state whether used for recreation or for medication. This one thing has indeed made CBD ahead of THC after a long long time since its discovery back in the 1940s & hence the avenues have been open for its usage to alleviate various ailments.
CBD has various forms of usage of which CBD oil has gained good popularity of late apart from being available as concentrates, capsules, gummy bears, balms, lotions, etc. In humans, CBD oil has beneficial in a number of ways with minimal side-effects which have led to its legality in various countries. Given the fact that it has also been tested on animals & found successful, the veterinarians have also resorted to it to treat animals & free them of the illness of all sorts. These range in a lot of benefits for animals just like humans & have been discussed ahead.
CBD oil for pets – dogs & cats
It is every pet parent’s dream to give his pet the best possible life. Be it in terms of good foods, toys or walks, parents don?t hesitate to spend on their pets for the sake of seeing their doggo bouncing in excitement around them or loving them back unconditionally with their paws. Also, when it comes to sufferings, it is tough for each one of us to see them all caught up with the sufferings & pain. That negativity in the eyes of a pet is heart-aching & this is what displeases the parents a lot when they see their pet suffer. There are many reasons people are seeking out CBD treats for their dogs & cats. CBD has been found extremely helpful in managing painful post-op care, dealing with weak bones, boosting their appetite when unwell & so on. CBD is indeed providing the relief that these little buddies need. This in turn also brings us to a question regarding which pets can CBD be used for.
CBD oil has a complete spectrum of being manufactured into a variety of treatment options that provide both external & internal relief to pets. While CBD creams & salves have been successfully found to provide immediate localized relief for animals suffering from aching muscles, arthritis, skin irritations or joint inflammation, products infused with CBD oil provide relief for a broad range of ailments & symptoms. CBD is hence being used by parents as a cure for their cats & dogs due to its emergence as a completely herbal
How does it work with pets?
Another good thing about CBD is the fact that it plays the same way as long as the game is the same – even when the location for the game changes. It doesn?t mind doing its duty out of its comfort zone & hence is gaining toll among the parents to give it to their pets.
Just like humans, animals also have Endocannabinoid System or the ECS. This system is responsible to maintain the various physiological activities in the body that relate to sleep, appetite, pain, memory & immune system response. This system runs entirely on neurotransmitters & neuroreceptors to regulate the functions up above. To do this, the body itself produces endocannabinoids (neurotransmitters) that bind with the cannabinoid receptors in the nervous system. The presence of CBD helps to lower or higher this process based on the needs of the body, thus regulating the physiological balance of the body.
There are 2 main receptors in the ECS which are CB1 & CB2. CBD interacts with the CB2 receptors that in turn boosts the ability of these receptors & makes the ECS work well. However, point to be noted here is that CBD doesn?t bind with these receptors but influences them indirectly like activating the TRPV1 receptors that work to control important functions like pain perception, body temperature, & inflammation. CBD has also been seen to increase the amount of ?anandamide? (Known as the bliss molecule) in the body which plays a role in the neural generation of pleasure & motivation. By stimulating the ECS, CBD promotes homeostasis, reduces pain sensation & decreases inflammation.
Benefits of CBD oil for pets
Given the fact that CBD can be used as a treatment for your lovely dogs & cats, it is now time to talk about the actual benefits of it & the ailments that it treats. The wide variety of advantages that CBD carries with it are as follows:
- Keeping anxiety under control
CBD oil helps to bring back the sense of calm in the pets. For example, if the guardians leave home & the dog behaves restless or barks aggressively, then it is a pointer of separation anxiety. Also, in case of loud noises, pets often become anxious & this affects their behavior. These two problems are high-stress situations that get dogs to chew objects, drool around. A little dose of CBD in such cases has been found to restore stability in the pets thus helping them pass through the high-stress situations comfortably.
2. Tackling Appetite & Nausea
Often, the furries show less interest in food either on a regular basis or post-treatment or while undergoing treatment like cancer. This gets nausea & vomiting sensation to grab them from the shoulder, thus reducing their appetite. Under such cases, CBD helps alleviate the problem of loss of appetite & helps them to consume food.
3. Anti-inflammatory powers
As mentioned earlier, CBD interacts with the ECS. This, in turn, makes it affect the body?s anti-inflammatory & immune abilities. This help is needed especially post operations apart from illness or disease. As a result, CBD fights inflammation.
In some cases, even hemp oil has been found effective in this regard too. Hempworx oil is one such name on the list of the veterinarians.
As a result of CBD?s anti-inflammatory effects, CBD oil also treats:
- Arthritis
- Pancreatitis
- Neuropathy pain
- Nerve-related pain
- Intestinal inflammation
- Inflammation on oxidative stress
- Asthma
Many Cat owners reported that their pets return to their playful traits after introducing CBD into their lives.
4. Relief with Arthritis
Arthritis & joint pains make things tough for any living being & so is the case with dogs as it becomes tough for them to move around with that. With its anti-inflammatory properties, it helps ease the pain during arthritis to get the pets up & moving again while also getting the body heal properly.
5. Fighting against Seizures & Epilepsy
Just like humans, animals might experience seizures & epilepsy. In fact when they do, CBD has helped to reduce the seizures. Also, normal pharmaceutical medicines also have side-effects especially on the liver which CBD doesn?t. With 5% of dogs suffering from seizures, this benefit is worth noting down.
6. Cancer?s enemy
Treatment during cancer is painful for all living beings as it drains the body a lot with chronic pain, nausea & vomiting adding to the pain. Also, since it has lesser side-effects compared to traditional medications, it is being preferred by parents for their pets.
Besides, in vitro & certain animal studies have also pointed towards the cancer-cell growth blockage & tumor cells death by blocking their ability to produce energy. It is hence being studied not just as a partner medication to ease chemotherapy but also as a cure for cancer.
- Other Benefits
- Better For Skin
CBD oil also helps in treating and preventing skin conditions of your pets. Sometimes, it ??can improve irritation to Cat because cats have cannabis receptors on the surface of their skin. ??
- A Source Of General Wellbeing
It is not only used for treating and curing but also for preventing. Adding a CBD supplement into your cat’s or dog?s diet can significantly improve their day-to-day life.
In a nutshell, it cures the following ailments in cats & dogs:
? lack of appetite ? separation anxiety ? excessive barking ? nausea from car rides ? lack of vitality & energy ? trips to the vet or groomer ? muscle spasms or seizures ? pain from cancer or arthritis ? recovery from surgery or illness ? pacing or inability to settle or relax ? fear of thunderstorms, fireworks or loud noises ? grumpiness or aggression towards other animals ? poor appetite ? multi-cat households ? constant hiding ? fear of the litter box ? eating inappropriate objects ? crying with no apparent cause ? distress from a change in the environment
CBD ?Side effects Dosage Blueprint
With the benefits being covered, it is also important to go through the side-effects of CBD use for pets. As a piece of good news, there is no scientific evidence towards any side effects of the CBD oil yet. However, specialists claim there are certain side-effects that might creep up in between which are as below:
- Dry Mouth
Researches have shown that CBD reduces the production of saliva. CBD usage can hence cause your pet to have a dry mouth & hence more thirst. - Lower blood pressure
High doses of CBD can cause a temporary drop in blood pressure. Though the temporary effect will last for a very short while, yet it might cause a feeling of lightheadedness during that short course. - Drowsiness
Not because of the fact that CBD gets the consumer a bit high but the fact that it calms down & soothes senses might often lead to drowsiness when overdosing occurs. - Effect on the liver
CBD has the ability to decrease liver enzymes? ability to break down many prescription drugs. Thus, it is pretty much advisable to consult the vet always when using it for your pet.
Conclusion
Based on this entire writing it is time to conclude that CBD oil is healthy & can even be a life-saving herb for all pets. As time goes ahead & the word spreads, more & more medical practitioners are adapting it for humans & animals alike & hence this wonder oil is here to stay & leave a positive impact. The main reason is not just the diverse spectrum of health benefits it brings with it in the tour kit but also its zero side-effects (as is apparent presently) & no intoxication & high effect make it a viable trident to strike off many ailments & make your pet beam with a smile & good health.
Talk about pain, it cures, talk about anxiety, it cures, talk about mood, it helps, it simply goes on & on & on when benefits are discussed. Also, the positive impacts that have come forward & continue to build-up have opened up its gates to be accepted legally as the UK & the USA recently legalised it towards the end of 2018. This, in turn, talks more than enough about the magic oil that treats humans & animals alike. Besides, legalising will also enable it to shed off the stigma that makes people look up to it with grey eyes due to its derivation from Cannabis & Marijuana.
A fair idea on choosing a good CBD Oil for your dog and cat is necessary. This is because of quality issues in various brands which make choosing the right one all the more important. To consider these when buying CBD oil is how it should be done:
- Ordering only the organic one: If it isn?t organic, the CBD oil contains pesticides, fungicides or solvents which in turn will not just reduce its effects, but will react negatively as well with the body system.
- Don?t save: The cost is directly proportional to the quality & purity. Hence, price shopping isn?t at all advised especially when it is for a cure that we are talking. It should be ensured that CBD oil is free of additives & has a good amount of CBD.
- Knowing the reality: As a consumer, asking for a lab analysis of the amount of CBD in the product isn?t wrong by any means. Many CBD oils claim high CBD content but in reality, fall short of it by miles as happens quite often in adulteration. The manufacturer should provide a certificate of analysis when asked for & this can make things sure for you. Also, unless the physician prescribes, one should ensure that there is no or little THC in the product.
- CBD as a tincture: it is advisable to buy CBD in tincture form so that it can be given easily to the dog as drops. This ensures proper counting of the quantity drop by drop based on the needs & requirements.
To conclude, it is necessary to adapt this oil as it has reasons to stay afloat in medical science after being rediscovered post 4000 years without much doubt. With studies underway so far, things seem very much under control & positive in the future.
