How CBD Oil Can Help Your Pets

CBD for Cats and Dogs; Miracle Medicine or Potentially Toxic?

The current research behind the use of cannabidiol for pets, namely cats and dogs.

Pets are family. Their lives are oftentimes just as important to people as any other relationship they treasure. That’s why so many people are looking at cannabis-derived products as a new type of medicine for their furriest family members.

Here’s a quick look at the use of CBD for dogs and cats.

Can Animals Use Cannabis Products?

If you’re considering using CBD on your animals, it’s important to understand how cannabis-derived products impact them.

For example, researchers in 1988 showed that dogs “barely absorbed” CBD when given a dose through an oral application. They hypothesized that this is due to a first-pass effect—a metabolic reduction in a compound before it reaches circulation.

The paper, which was published in the journal, Drug Metabolisms and Dispositions, also indicated that the pharmacokinetic profile of CBD was not dose-dependent above 45 mg.

It’s clear that animals react to cannabis products because they have their own endocannabinoid systems. However, their function hasn’t been widely studied. According to a 2016 paper, published in The Canadian Veterinary Journal, less than 60 papers exist on PubMed about CBD for animals, and most of them focus on the toxicological aspects in dogs.

However, some research does look at the potential benefits of cannabinoids for animals.

Potential Benefits of CBD for Cats and Dogs

In 1981, researchers wanted to look at how cats responded to certain synthetic cannabinoids.

The paper, published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, found that “the cannabinoids all evinced dose-dependent antiemetic activity in terms of either complete protection, or increased latency to the first emetic episode and reduced number of episodes in those animals not completely protected.”

In other words, cannabis-derived products seem to reduce vomiting in cats.

Moreover, a 2018 study showed that patients are increasingly self-reporting the use of CBD in their dogs. The study showed that people are treating their dogs for:

Anxiety
Pain
Inflammation
And more

Another report from 2018 supported those ideas and noted that CBD is suitable for pain in dogs. More specifically, the researchers pointed out that “this pharmacokinetic and clinical study suggests that 2 mg/kg of CBD twice daily can help increase comfort and activity in dogs with osteoarthritis.”

The Dangers of Cannabis Products for Pets

According to the aforementioned 2016 paper, dogs may be subject to a higher degree of cannabis-related toxicology because they have a higher number of cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Note that Cannabis effects pets much differently than CBD oil sold in stores. CBD oil can provide real medical benefits to your pets while Cannabis at any dose can be harmful and dangerous for your pets.

Most importantly, a 2018 paper found that dogs are susceptible to CBD poisoning when under “exposure to large doses.” The paper also noted that dogs may be susceptible to tremors and seizures if exposed to a large dose. These incidents are unlikely assuming you aren't dumping an entire bottle of CBD oil into your pet's bowl. Giving your pet a small daily dose of CBD oil can provide real medical benefits to your furry friends.

Thankfully, we can provide our animals with low doses to avoid any of these toxicological aspects.

The use of CBD in animals works for the same reason it works in humans. Our systems evolved their own endocannabinoid systems. However, there are significant differences in how cannabis impacts us versus our pets. Please leave a comment on our facebook page or ask any questions if you’re thinking about using CBD to potentially help your cat or dog.

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