As more and more states legalize marijuana for medical and recreational use, another compound derived from the plant has also gained popularity — cannabidiol, also known as CBD. Humans can take tinctures of CBD in an oil-like form, and those who take it have noticed improvements in everything from insomnia to anxiety to seizures to depression. Without THC, CBD doesn’t give you the head rush that typically comes with smoking regular marijuana, nor are there any psychoactive elements to the oil.
But people aren’t the only ones to benefit from the wonders of CBD — it turns out that pets, too, can ingest the all-natural compound and help soothe their bothersome symptoms. Here are five ways in which CBD might work for your four-legged friends.
CBD Oil for Pets: The Benefits
CBD Soothes Anxiety
In both humans and pets, CBD has shown to soothe feelings of anxiety. To pinpoint anxiety in dogs, for example, you might notice symptoms that could include panting, shaking, hiding, seeking extra attention, howling or destroying furniture or other aspects of your home.
Experts have yet to determine how, exactly, CBD is so effective in calming both humans’ and pets’ nerves. But some research has found CBD works similarly to prescription anxiety meds by boosting feel-good serotonin levels in the brain. This not only wards off anxiety, but also helps neutralize depression and stress.
So, try CBD if your pet shows any of these signs. To that end, cannabis can aid you in your quest to assuage a pet’s separation anxiety or fear of certain noises — no more cowering on the Fourth of July for Fido.
CBD Naturally Stabilizes in Seizures
If your pet has ever had a seizure, you know it’s a terrifying experience. And, if they’ve had multiple bouts of convulsion, their vet may have put them on a drug meant to stop them from seizing again. Although these medications work well, they might also do damage to the liver.
CBD oil presents a natural alternative. In humans, the compound effectively treats children and adults with drug-resistant epilepsy (1). A natural anticonvulsant, CBD can do the same for pets who suffer seizures, as well as spasms, tics and tremors. Again, it’s not entirely clear how CBD has this effect, but it’s worth trying if your pet is prone to such scary episodes.
CBD Helps Fight Cancer
The dreaded “C” word comes without a cure, as of yet. Of course, there’s a tried-and-true treatment path for both humans and pets, and that’s chemotherapy. But that can cause an array of undesirable, uncomfortable side effects, including nausea, diarrhea and lethargy.
As such, plenty of research studies the use of CBD in cancer treatment, yielding promising results (2). Broadly, CBD has shown to stall the growth of tumors, as well as the spread of cancer cells. On top of that, CBD oil can enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy (3).
At the very least, CBD can help soothe pets who have lost their battle with cancer and living out their final days. In one instance, a dog set for euthanization due to cancer received CBD oil in its food which changed the dog’s demeanor completely and delayed the euthenization by an additional week.
CBD Diffuses Inflammation
Inflammation is an underlying cause and/or side effect to many painful conditions. Irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and more all have their roots in inflammation. Plus, inflammation can cause the immune system to malfunction and begin to attack healthy cells, rather than the ones causing pain and other issues.
CBD can help to assuage the constant ache your dog might feel (4). It helps to awaken the CB2 receptors in cells, which then go on to generate an immune response — and, if your pet suffers from inflammation, their system will naturally begin to diffuse the situation, too.
CBD Calms Nausea and Vomiting
Neither human nor animal enjoys the feeling of nausea. Worse yet is when it turns into actual vomiting.
Both symptoms can be side effects of other treatments, such as chemotherapy. And there are prescription medications known to soothe both sensations, but they tend to come with a cost — everything from drooling to lethargy to diarrhea has been cited as side effects of these types of drugs.
Once again, CBD could come to the rescue for your pet who’s experiencing the discomfort of nausea. Once CBD ignites particular reactors within the cells, it can dull the reflex to vomit, too. In fact, some have found CBD to be a better form of relief than pharmaceutical medications — it’s both effective and gentle, with only slight drowsiness commonly reported as a pet-related side effect.
Is CBD Right for Your Pet?
The above represent five ways in which CBD can benefit your pet, and you by proxy since you’ll find yourself happy to see your four-legged friend thriving once more. Learn how to administer the medication properly — and seek out the advice of experts, if you have any additional questions about the compound. Then, give your pet the right dose and see how much better they feel with a bit of CBD (5). They can’t tell you, of course, but they’ll certainly show you — and as a pet parent, nothing feels better than that.
Where To Buy CBD Oil For Your Pet?
As researchers start to shed light on the benefits of CBD oil for pets, more and more companies are developing products that contain CBD. You just need to make sure that if you’re purchasing treats with CBD oil, that they also don’t contain harmful filler ingredients like corn and wheat. Innovet is one company that manufactures high-quality organic CBD oil for pets (THC-free). Another company I’ve had my eyes on is Honest Paws, who sell a full-spectrum CBD oil that is THC-free. There are plenty of companies out there, you just need to find the one that works best for you, and your pet!
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