What is CBD for dogs and what does it work for?

What is CBD?

In recent years society has come to realise that the hemp plant can provide us with numerous benefits and among its most popular components is CBD. You’ve probably already heard about this cannabinoid and how it can bring great benefits to our health, but did you know that cannabidiol is also beneficial for our furry friends, our dogs? We tell you how CBD for dogs can be of great help to your best friend.

Cannabidiol, better known as CBD for short, is a compound (cannabinoid) from the hemp plant. Along with THC, it is one of the most popular and well-known cannabinoids, and thanks to its properties, it can provide great benefits to the bodies of mammals, such as humans, dogs and cats. Most vertebrate animals have an endocannabinoid system, which is composed of a series of receptors that are responsible for regulating various biological processes that occur in our body, such as appetite, sleep cycle and even anti-inflammatory processes.

How can CBD help my dog?

As mentioned above, animals, like us humans, have an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which has CB-1 and CB-2 receptors. While CB-1 receptors regulate brain processes, CB-2 receptors regulate the immune system. Our furry friends, just like us, produce endocannabinoids, which is why it is believed that CBD can be of great help to them, as this component can regulate anti-inflammatory processes, reduce stress, improve mobility, combat nausea and vomiting, improve appetite and combat dermatological problems that our dog may suffer from. Although more studies are still needed to prove this 100%, many of our clients have experienced beneficial results in their pets.

Let’s take a closer look at what CBD for dogs can do for your pet.

• Reduce inflammation: CBD shares the same metabolic pathways as many synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs, and because this component of the hemp plant interacts with the endocannabinoid system, it is able to regulate inflammatory processes in the body, thus replacing synthetic drugs, which is quite desirable in dogs that suffer from the side effects of these when used long-term.
• Combating seizures: One of the most common applications of CBD in people is the use of CBD in the treatment of seizures, and now this treatment is beginning to be applied to dogs. A study has shown that cannabidiol is effective in reducing the intensity and frequency of seizures in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy.
• It reduces the side effects of cancer: although there are very few studies on this application of CBD, it is believed that, as in humans, cannabidiol can help combat the side effects of chemotherapy in dogs, thus reducing the nausea, pain and vomiting that our furry friends may experience after cancer treatment. In addition, some studies in rats and ferrets suggest that dogs may also benefit from CBD’s ability to treat tumours directly, although this has not been fully proven.
• Reduce anxiety: it is believed that CBD can help reduce anxiety in our canines, thus helping us in stressful situations such as fireworks, although cannabidiol has no psychoactive effects, it does have relaxing properties that can help our dog to relax.
• Reduces pain: thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, it not only helps dogs suffering from arthritis, but can also directly reduce pain caused by back problems or other chronic pain.

How to administer CBD for dogs

Perhaps this is the million-dollar question: How to give CBD drops to a dog? Don’t worry, below I will show you a series of recommendations that you should take into account before administering CBD to your dog. What is super important is that if your dog is undergoing other medical treatment, you should consult with a veterinary professional before giving CBD, as CBD and medication can have an unwanted reaction. Knowing this, let’s look at the other recommendations for giving CBD to your dog.

• Start with low doses, this is important as every dog is different. Usually CBD products for dogs come with dosage instructions, we recommend starting with the lowest dose and evaluating your furry friend’s results, until you reach your ideal dosage.
• Experts suggest administering CBD for dogs orally, our CBD oil for dogs comes with a dropper for easy administration and dosage.
• Avoid placing the dropper directly into your dog’s mouth, and if this happens, clean it thoroughly after each use to prevent the CBD oil from becoming contaminated.
• Try to administer CBD oil for dogs in a pure form for better absorption. If your dog gives you a hard time, you can administer cannabidiol along with your dog’s food.
• Once opened, keep the product refrigerated and avoid exposing it to light.
• It is advisable to start with a CBD oil with a low percentage of cannabidiol.
• If your dog is young, he will need less CBD than an older dog, although there may be exceptions.

What is the recommended dose of CBD for my dog?

Studies in dogs with arthritis or seizures recommend using between 2-8mg/kg twice daily. This dose is considered safe for canines suffering from these conditions, although this may vary and is intended only for dogs with arthritis or seizure problems.

So what is the recommended dose for dogs with other conditions?

According to veterinary expert in CBD and medical cannabis treatments, Dr. Robert Silver recommends using 1mg of CBD per kilo of body weight per day. This means that if your dog weighs 20 kg, you should give him 20 milligrams of cannabidiol per day. This vet recommends starting with the lowest dose of 0.1 mg/kg, i.e. if your dog weighs 10 kg he would get 1 mg of CBD twice a day, so if we do a quick calculation we could say that each drop of 2% CBD oil for dogs contains 1 mg of cannabidiol, so your dog would get 1 drop every 12 hours. It is important to note that this low dose is recommended for the first week of treatment, so that you can evaluate your canine friend’s results and then adjust his ideal dose.

Does CBD for dogs have side effects?

Although there are not enough studies showing that CBD has side effects in dogs, we can create a baseline from the side effects in humans, it is also important to note that you will not notice any side effects if the CBD dosage for your dog is ideal and balanced.

If you notice any of the following side effects, you may need to adjust your canine’s dosage.

• Increased thirst: this is because saliva production is decreased.
• Low blood pressure: although unlikely, you may notice this if your dog suffers from dizziness.
• Drowsiness: this may be due to too high a dose, if you notice that your dog is oversleeping, it may be time to lower the dose of cannabidiol.

  Other mild side effects can include vomiting, nausea, excessive panting or loss of balance, which is why we recommend always starting with a low dose and consulting a vet.

How to choose the right CBD oil for dogs

Before buying CBD oil for dogs, you should take certain factors into account, as a good CBD oil will guarantee the best results for your furry friend as well as safety.

• The oil must be pure: The shop where you are buying CBD oil for pets must be able to provide you with the product’s certificate, which indicates the amount of THC, CBD and other ingredients, remember that the purer the oil, the better the results.
• Free of harmful chemicals: you should make sure that the dog oil you are buying is free of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, solvents, etc.
• THC-free: it is important that the CBD oil for your dog contains less than 0.2% THC, as this is a psychoactive cannabinoid, which is not recommended for your pet.

Conclusion

To conclude this article we would like to tell you that, first of all, consult a vet before starting a CBD treatment with your dog, as there are many factors to evaluate, keep in mind to always start with a low dose and adapt it until you reach the ideal level for your furry loved one and most important of all, you should always buy a quality CBD oil for dogs, like the ones we can offer you at Starwhite hemp, where we have a wide variety of products. And if you have any questions about dosage, we’re always happy to help.