CBD for pets is the abbreviated form of cannabidiol, derived from hemp. With the market readily accepting legal CBD for both medical and recreational purposes for pets, CBD is available easily online. However, we must not treat the effects of CBD on humans as being the same on pets. Though some claim that the endocannabinoid system (ECS), the lipid-based retrograde neurotransmitters binding the cannabinoid receptors (CBRs), and the reception of cannabinoid proteins are present both in humans and animals, there can be differences unknown to us. At the same time, the effects of CBD, some claim has shown some amount of comfort for the pet’s health, especially when in pain.
According to the California Veterinary Medical Board, cannabis has nearly 60 naturally occurring compounds. In both hemp and marijuana, the second most commonly occurring nonpsychoactive is CBD which contains 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) when derived from hemp. The effects of THC can be quite detrimental on pets even if given in small amounts. Pets should not even by mistake ingest THC as it is highly toxic for their digestive system and must be admitted to the hospital if such should happen. There was a marked increase in animal ingestion of THC between 2018-19. This ratio grew in 2020 as people stayed at home in the COVID pandemic as reported by the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center.
Pets were administered CBD under their tongue, topical applications or CBD tinctures for dogs was made on aging pets suffering from conditions like pain, anxiety, and seizure. CBD allows some comfort to the pets in pain.
However, the question remains is CBD good for the pet’s health, and should it be administered to furry friends?
Getting into the details of this discussion we will go through the pros and cons of whether CBD should be administered on pets.
List of CBD advantages on pets
Pet owners with aging pets often find their pets in deep agony from various physical stresses. According to a survey conducted by the Veterinary Information Network, veterinary clinics, almost 79% have recommended the use of CBD products that has according to them shown signs of alleviating chorionic pain, also CBD has shown some effect in about 65% in helping them cope with anxiety. An overwhelming response of roughly 80% said that no negative reports such as sedation were registered after the administration of CBD. From a medical standpoint, Frontiers in Veterinary Science published a paper that found around 82.2% of veterinarians were unanimous on the use of medical CBD on dogs. Many others agree that CBD is 100% non-toxic. There is no chance of being overdosed with CBD. Overuse of CBD may cause drowsiness in pets, but they are not toxic. That is good news for pet owners especially when this information comes from a veterinary doctor who himself studied the effects, as claimed by him. The pain and anxiety were effectively reduced in pets with the use of CBD. It can cause sluggishness in the animal without toxicity. He also reported that he was able to substitute a narcotic drug use with CBD and saved the dog from the severe effects of the drugs formally used. This is indeed good news for both pet owners and veterinarians.
Another study where pets received a double-blind cross-over trial performed by Researchers at Cornell University found that dogs with osteoarthritis showed improvement in pain tolerance with the use of CBD. No side effects were reported with the administration of CBD oil. Instead, the studies reveal improved cardiovascular health, with better respiratory function and even more responsive pain treatment. Some also cite positive results in cancer treatment.
The effectiveness of CBD being able to cope with anxiety has been stated over and over again. Apart from this, the results have been quite noteworthy in chronic issues like digestive issues and inflammation at any place in the body. Going by the positivity the production of CBD products on the pet market has gone up and the industry that took momentum at $400 million in 2019 is poised to scale by $1.7 billion by 2023. The only side effects reported are that of lethargy and lack of energy by 5%.
CBD usage disadvantages
The quality of CBD is significant when being administered to pets. Regulation is a huge concern as products available in the open market with unlisted ingredients can carry potential toxic effects on pets. Every product administered on pets must be supported with evidence that the product tests the absence of pesticides, heavy metals, and THC. With so many companies in this business, one needs to be careful. When product testing was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania, an analysis performed on 70% of products found them inadequate for pet use. Almost 21 samples were found with high THC content. Therefore labels can be quite misleading and it is important to trust reliable sources while purchasing the products.
FDA however, has not approved cannabis products on animals and the agency dismisses all claims cited by studies conducted on the safety and the effectiveness of the product. They believe that not enough proof substantiates the claims. CBD, they firmly hold causes effects such as lethargy, heavy drooling, depressions, vomiting, agitation convulsion, and tremors.
Since the introduction of CBD in pet treatment is only recent, not much clarity is available on the long-term implication of CBD. Whether it is safe or not is still highly arguable. The effectiveness of the product and its composition cannot be verified by a user and the research that supports claims that the product is effective is anecdotal. Also, the research claims that many websites make relating its existence to the American Veterinary Medical Association, is quite untrue as AVMA continues to caution pet owners on using CBD products on pets.
When the pets age and are under stress caregivers at times take to the placebo effects. Also, they may misread the lethargy and sedation to comfort and think that the therapy prescribed by their veterinarian is working where it can be leading to greater suffering in the animal which could have been avoided. The combination of CBD with pharmaceutical drugs can have dangerous implications on the health of the pet.
What are the most popular CBD pet products?
CBD products are available online, you must be sure that you are selecting the right brand to make sure that the CBD does not spot any THC and also harmful chemicals that can cause permanent damage to the pet’s health.
Capsules: CBD oil is stuffed in capsule form for the pet to ingest via other attractive products.
CBD tinctures for dogs: The oil can be mixed with food if the dog is reluctant to have it directly.
Chews: These too can be put in edibles for easy consumption by the furry creatures.
How must you decide the CBD dosage for dogs?
You must never independently decide to administer CBD to your dogs. Always consult with a veterinarian to ensure that the right amount is being administered to the pet. If you are a true pet lover, you will not like your dog appearing to be lethargic or sleeping all day.
You can ask your veterinarian to recommend the right product and order it online from a dependable store.
