Dogs & CBD Oil – Why Hemp Oil Might Be Good For Your Dog & Other Pets

An Overview of CBD Oil

A lot is discussed about the benefits of CBD oil for human beings. There are plenty of studies going on to find out more and more about CBD and how CBD can benefit human beings. The study predicts the market size of hemp cannabis product to cross $1 billion in 3 years from now. ^[1]

However, there are also plenty of discussions on whether the use of CBD is OK or not. There are people on both sides. But, the people are consuming and selling hemp cannabis products online on various nations and states.

There are proven health benefits of cannabis. And benefits of medical marijuana are also becoming popular in many parts of the world. However, you must keep in mind that marijuana and CBD is not the same thing. Many people are confused about this matter, and they start an unnecessary discussion regarding this matter.

Marijuana vs. Hemp

There was a time when even hemp was considered illegal to use in the United States. Hemp was compared to other forms of cannabis without conducting any scientific studies. However, there were plenty of scientific studies conducted on hemp and marijuana, and finally, hemp is now legal in the United States.

You can easily purchase hemp cannabis products, such as hempseed protein powder, CBD oil, hempseed milk, soaps, lotions, and so on.

Let’s dig deeper into the difference between marijuana and hemp. Both marijuana and hemp are extracted from the same plant, cannabis sativa (Keep in mind that marijuana is extracted from cannabis indica (another member of the cannabis family).

There are over 60 chemicals found in cannabis plant called cannabinoids. The two major types of cannabinoids are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The reason why there is so much heated discussion about the legalization of marijuana is due to THC.

THC is the cannabinoid with psychoactive properties that can make you high. However, CBD has nothing to do with all the psychoactive effects of smoking weed. CBDs are therapeutic cannabinoids.

The content of THC in marijuana is around 10-15%. Talking about the content of THC in hemp, it’s just around 0.3% or less than that. There is a drastic difference between the content of THC in hemp and marijuana. This is the reason why hemp is not regarded as a plant with psychoactive properties.

Because the content of CBD is significantly higher in hemp, this substance provides therapeutic effects. According to the study, the market for alternative and complementary medicine totals nearly $34 billion. Due to so many health benefits of CBD, the use of hemp cannabis products is also commonly used for getting health benefits. ^[2]

How CBD Works in your Pets?

CBD Works in your Pets

Whether you have realized this fact or not, but you and your dogs have plenty of things in common. Just like human beings, mammals are also equipped with an endocannabinoid system (ECS). Every single mammal on Earth has receptors for cannabinoids. These are the same chemical compounds that are present in hemp.

When these chemical compounds interact with ECS, they help in governing the body’s memory, mood, appetite, and sleep. ECS and cannabinoids dictate how our bodies fight inflammation (a culprit that is associated with many diseases).

Moreover, CBD also plays a crucial role in facilitating two-way communication among different systems in the body. In the next section of this article, we will take a look at some of the amazing benefits of CBD oil that your pets can get.

What are some of the Health Benefits of CBD Oil for Pets?

Like there are plenty of health benefits of CBD oil for human beings, there are plenty of health benefits of CBD oil for pets. It’s because of so many common features found in human beings and pets.

The major reason why both pets and human beings can get the benefits of CBD oil is due to the presence of the endocannabinoid system.

The nutritional profile of CBD oil is perfect. Unlike fish oil, CBD oil has a perfect ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids. The fatty acids that are found in CBD oil are not naturally produced by the body. So, it is important for your pets to get is from foods.

In addition to so strong nutritional profile of CBD oil, it’s important to add CBD oil to the diet plan for your pets. If you’re not still convinced, I am pretty sure that you will be convinced once you finish reading this article. Moreover, there are many other nutrients and minerals that are found in CBD oil besides omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the amazing health benefits of CBD oil for pets.

1. Fights Anxiety

Anxiety is not just limited to human beings; it is also seen among dogs. There are plenty of dogs that are suffering from anxiety and noise phobia. Here are some of the symptoms of anxiety to help you find out whether your dog is suffering from anxiety or not.

• Mild fear without any strong reasons
• Panic
• Diarrhea

If your dog is behaving in a weird manner, it’s recommended that you as a pet owner should address that issue. The study has found that the use of CBD can significantly help people suffering from anxiety. ^[3]

And, the use of CBD oil can also help pets that are suffering from separation anxiety, which is a serious problem.

CBD Products for Anxiety

2. Helps in Fighting Cancer

Here is an interesting fact for you as a pet owner if you were not aware of this fact. According to the statistic, around 42% of the death in dogs is caused due to cancer. And, there are plenty of cats that are diagnosed with cancer. ^[4]

These facts show that not only human beings, but pets are also exposed to many chronic diseases. CBD that is found in hemp and cannabis can help in fighting cancer in both human beings and pets. It has an anti-tumor effect, which stops cancer cell from growing.

The risk of tumor cell death is significantly decreases with the use of CBD oil.
Here are some of the positive effects of CBD oil:

• CBD assists the human immune system’s killer cells that play a significant role in causing cancer cell death.
• It blocks the ability of cancer cells to produce energy.
• The consumption of CBD slows down glioma cell growth.

3. Treats Seizure and Epilepsy

There are plenty of dogs that are suffering from seizures. The dogs that are diagnosed with CBD seizure treatment are on medications such as potassium bromide and phenobarbital. These drugs are effective in dealing with seizures, but they have side effects that are associated with these drugs.

The continual use of these drugs can harm your dog’s liver and other organs. And, there are cases of these drugs not working well on dogs. There was a study conducted to find out the impact of CBD in dogs diagnosed with epilepsy. ^[5]

The result obtained from the study was quite positive.The 7 out of 8 dogs were seen having a positive effect of the intake of the CBD.

4. CBD is a Pain Reliever

CBD is well-known for its pain relieving properties. Most of the scientists are starting to classify CBD as a new class of drug for the treatment of chronic pain. Here are some of the positive impacts of the CBD in the treatment of chronic pain.

• CBD is effective in reducing various types of pain, which includes neuropathy and nerve-related pain.
• The intake of CBD decreases inflammation on oxidative stress.
• Fights inflammation in acute pancreatitis.

5. CBD Helps in Dealing with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The intake of CBD also helps in dealing with inflammatory bowel disease. There was a study conducted to find out the impact of CBD in animals suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. ^[6]

After the completion of the study, the researchers found that the intake of CBD helps in preventing colitis (IBD).

Furthermore, the intake of CBD also restores normal gut motility, which is a very common issue to resolve in pets suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. CBD has antibiotic properties, which includes Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA).

6. Assists in Dealing with Chronic Inflammation and Autoimmune Disease

Chronic Inflammation and Autoimmune Disease

The use of CBD oil can help in decreasing the production and release of inflammatory cytokines, which is responsible for allergies, autoimmunity, and hypersensitivities. And, the use of CBD oil also helps in suppressing a thing called Th17 dominance. The presence of Th17 is the major cause of autoimmune diseases.

The production of inflammatory macrophages is also obstructed by the intake of the CBD. This reduction of the production of inflammatory macrophages helps in fighting chronic inflammation.

Moreover, CBD is also known as a powerful antioxidant. It’s found to be even more powerful than vitamin C and E.

7. Protects the Nervous System

The dogs that are diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy and other diseases that are related to nerves and spines can be significantly benefited by the use of CBD oil. CBD has shown a lot of promise.

The intake of CBD helps the patients that are suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer by protecting the brain cells from various toxic materials.

According to the study, the risk of the death due to the cell death can be significantly reduced in senior dogs with the intake of the CBD, as CBD helps in protecting the brain from free radicals and toxins. ^[7]

8.CBD Enhances Appetite and Helps with the Problem of Nausea

The intake of CBD oil can help pets that are struggling with the problem of low appetite. The National Cancer Institute reported that the intake of CBD can not only control cancer, but it also helps in increasing appetite. ^[8]

There is a separate study conducted among the animals on the effects of CBD in appetite and problems related to nausea. The result obtained from the study shows that the intake of CBD can help in dealing with vomiting and nausea in animals, even if the vomiting and nausea are caused by toxic and drugs. ^[9]

9. Promotes Cardiovascular Diseases

The cardiovascular health issue is one of the biggest issues in the world of health and fitness. According to the statistic, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The cardiovascular healthis also an important issue to be addressed in pets. ^[10]

CBD has been linked to the heart health. A detailed study conducted on the linkage of CBD and heart health found plenty of benefits of CBD on cardiovascular health. The CBD intake can help in reducing the damaged blood vessels, protect blood vessels, reduce the damage and dilate the arteries, and so on. ^[11]
These effects of CBD can drastically improve the condition of your heart health.

Reasons to Give Your Dog CBD Oil

Is CBD Oil for Pets Legal?

Because of numerous studies conducted on the impact of CBD oil, it has made CBD oil legal in most of the states. And, the use of CBD oil is considered to be safe, even if it is taken in high doses for a long period of time.

However, you should consult with a doctor if your dog is on medication. The use of CBD oil can reduce the activity of liver enzymes that are used for metabolizing plenty of prescription drugs. Most of the CBD oil products are derived from the hemp plant, so there is a very little or no THC content in CBD oil products.

As a pet owner, you must consider the use of CBD oil for enhancing the overall health of your pets.

What are the Tips to Select the Best CBD Oil Products for your Pet?

With the growth of hemp cannabis-based products, many manufacturers are entering the market to get a piece of the pie of the market. With the growing no. of manufacturers, there are plenty of low-quality products that are sold on the market.

It’s crucial for you to find high-quality CBD oil products for your pet to get the best outcome from the product. Low-quality CBD oil can have plenty of unwanted effects on your pet’s health. Here are some of the factors to consider, which will help you select the best CBD oil product for your pet.

1. Go for Organic Product

It’s a must for you to ensure that the product is organic. If the product is not organic, it may contain pesticides, solvents, or fungicides.

2. Do Not Opt for Cheap Products

Every cheap product is not a low-quality product. This is very true, but there are many cheap products that are sold on the market, which have no standards. There is a chance that the cheap products may contain plenty of unwanted additives.
Make sure that the product you are buying is free of additives and it has a good amount of CBD on it.

3. Ask for a Lab Analysis

The lab analysis of the CBD oil product that you are about to purchase is very important to ensure the quality of the product. Make sure you ask for a lab analysis. There are plenty of CBD oil products on the market with a very low amount of CBD.

The manufacturer must provide the certificate of lab analysis. This lab analysis also helps in ensuring that there is no or a negligible amount of THC on the product.

What are Some of the Ways to Add CBD Oil to your Pet’s Diet?

Ways to Add CBD Oil to your Pet’s Diet

There are plenty of ways to add CBD oil to your pet’s diet plan. Here is some of it.

• Capsules
• CBD tinctures
• Dog treats
• Topicals
• Cannabis oil

The oil and tinctures are the best, but other ways can also work out great for your pets.

What is the Correct Dosage of CBD Oil?

The CBD oil dosage depends on the size of your pet. If you go for the CBD oil, you should know the correct dosage of CBD oil to give to your pet. The majority of the CBD oil manufacturer will provide the recommended dosage on their label.

However, you would want to start with the lowest possible dosage and slowly start increasing the dosage over the period of time. Gradually increase the dosage until you observe the desired effect.

What are Some of the Dangers of CBD Oil?

Like the majority of the supplements that are sold on the market, CBD oil is also not immune to side effects. While it’s safe to use medical marijuana for pets, but using CBD oil as a supplement is a completely different thing.

Due to various side effects of CBD oil, it’s recommended to start with a small dosage while giving it to your dog. If you add too much CBD oil to your pet’s diet plan, there is a very good chance that you may see unwanted effects in your pet, instead of positive effects of CBD oil that we have discussed in the earlier section of this article.

According to the FDA, it’s recommended that you consult a vet immediately if you overdose CBD oil. Here are some of the dangers of CBD oil if it’s overdosed.

• Your pet will be out of energy and enthusiasm.
• There is a chance that your pet will be depressed due to the overdose of CBD oil.
• An excessive drooling can be seen in dogs as a side effect of CBD oil.
• You can observe vomiting.
• A state of anxiety and nervous excitement may be observed.
• A tremor could be observed.

Dangers of CBD Oil in Dogs

Is There a Guarantee that the Use of CBD Oil will have Positive Impacts on My Pet?

There are numerous studies that show the positive effects of CBD oil in both human beings and animals. With that said, one cannot guarantee whether the use of CBD oil will have positive impacts on the pet or not.

You will only know the impacts of CBD oil on your pet once you start adding CBD oil to your pet’s diet plan. There are many people who are hesitant to add CBD oil to their pet’s diet plan, but there are plenty of health benefits of CBD oil that you may not want to miss out.

There are plenty of pet owners that are benefitting from the use of CBD oil, and there is no harm in giving it a try. Well, it’s true that there are side effects of CBD oil for dogs, but the chances of side effects can be reduced if you are careful when adding CBD oil to your pet’s diet plan.

You may also experience the improvement in your dog’s illness after the use of CBD oil. We recommend that you give CBD oil a try and add this oil to your pet’s diet.

Final Verdict

There are plenty of things in common about human beings and other animals. The human beings along with other animals need food to survive, air to breathe, and water to drink. Like human beings, animals are also not immune to sickness. Human beings take good care of their health because of their intelligence, but this is not in the case of animals.

So, it’s pet owners’ responsibility to take care of their pets’ health. According to the study, the no. of pet owners not visiting veterinary on a regular basis is increasing. Due to this reason, pets are not at the peak of their health. ^[12]

It’s a duty of a pet owner to take care of their pet when their pets are sick, and it’s also their duty to prevent their pets from various kinds of illness. As there are plenty of health benefits of using CBD oil on pets, you should definitely bring home CBD oil and use it on your pets for enhancing their health.

However, it is better to consult with a veterinary physician before using CBD oil. And, do visit veterinary on a regular basis to make sure that your pets are healthy and fine.

12 Sources

We review published medical research in respected scientific journals to arrive at our conclusions about a product or health topic. This ensures the highest standard of scientific accuracy.

[1] FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD): https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-regulation-cannabis-and-cannabis-derived-products-including-cannabidiol-cbd
[2] Rapin L, Gamaoun R, El Hage C, Arboleda MF, Prosk E. Cannabidiol use and effectiveness: real-world evidence from a Canadian medical cannabis clinic. J Cannabis Res. 2021;3(1):19. Published 2021 Jun 23. doi:10.1186/s42238-021-00078-w
[3] Blessing EM, Steenkamp MM, Manzanares J, Marmar CR. Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics. 2015;12(4):825-836. doi:10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1
[4] Facts What is Cancer?: https://fetchacure.org/resource-library/facts/
[5] Can CBD Oil Help Dogs With Epilepsy?:https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/cbd-oil-for-dog-seizures/
[6] Izzo AA, Camilleri M. Cannabinoids in intestinal inflammation and cancer. Pharmacol Res. 2009 Aug;60(2):117-25. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2009.03.008. Epub 2009 Mar 18. PMID: 19442536.
[7] Hampson AJ, Grimaldi M, Axelrod J, Wink D. Cannabidiol and (-)Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol are neuroprotective antioxidants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998;95(14):8268-8273. doi:10.1073/pnas.95.14.8268
[8] Cannabis and Cannabinoids (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version:www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/cannabis-pdq#section/all
[9] Rock EM, Bolognini D, Limebeer CL, Cascio MG, Anavi-Goffer S, Fletcher PJ, Mechoulam R, Pertwee RG, Parker LA. Cannabidiol, a non-psychotropic component of cannabis, attenuates vomiting and nausea-like behaviour via indirect agonism of 5-HT(1A) somatodendritic autoreceptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Br J Pharmacol. 2012 Apr;165(8):2620-34. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01621.x. PMID: 21827451; PMCID: PMC3423241.
[10] Heart Disease Facts: www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
[11] Walsh SK, Hepburn CY, Kane KA, Wainwright CL. Acute administration of cannabidiol in vivo suppresses ischaemia-induced cardiac arrhythmias and reduces infarct size when given at reperfusion. Br J Pharmacol. 2010;160(5):1234-1242. doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.00755.x
[12] AVMA report details pet ownership, veterinary care:www.avma.org/news/javmanews/pages/130201a.aspx

Sam Kramer, MS, RD, CSSGB, LDN, CISSN

Sam Kramer is a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist, Six Sigma Green Belt Certified, and Certified Sports Nutritionis Read Full Bio