CBD for Dogs: What You Need to Know

Countless CBD products for pets have flooded the market over the past several years, and you may be curious about what all the hype is about. If you have not yet taken the time to try any of them to see what kind of benefits they can offer you and your fuzzy buddy, then maybe it’s time you found out.

So today, we thought we’d take some time to explore how CBD can positively impact your dogs!

Below, we’ll explore some of the different effects CBD can have on your canine companion, why those effects occur, the benefits they can produce, and other important information you’ll want to understand. By the end of this educational article, you’ll better appreciate the prospective benefits of pet-friendly CBD products!

Reasons to Give Your Four-Legged Friend CBD

Whether you’re new to the world of cannabis or have been engrossed in it for a while now, you’ve probably heard of CBD.

The compound, which has been all over the media and online publications in recent years, is one of the hundreds of cannabinoids present in cannabis. And while more people are familiar with the benefits of CBD for humans, pet owners may be wondering – is CBD oil good for dogs?

This article will give an in-depth dive into whether CBD is good for dogs, its benefits, how to choose a dosage, and what you should consider before choosing a CBD product for your pets.

Let’s look at some of the basics you should know.

What is CBD for Pets?

Short for cannabidiol, CBD is a compound present in cannabis that has, for a while now, been touted for its medical benefits. Today, this cannabinoid is mostly extracted from industrial hemp, a variety of cannabis that typically contains no more than 0.3% THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, by concentration. For this reason, it isn’t psychoactive.

Is CBD Oil Good for Dogs?

Although CBD has been marketed for and toward human beings for the longest time, preliminary research has shown that the compound may be administered to animals such as dogs, cats, and horses.

According to early research, CBD may affect dogs in a similar way to people. Still, due to differences in factors such as metabolism rate and volume of cannabinoid receptors, we should put a lot of factors into consideration when choosing a dosage for our loyal quadrupedal friends.

Will CBD Dog Treats Get My Dog High?

When most dog owners are contemplating whether or not they should give their dogs CBD treats, the question that comes to mind is: will my dog get high off of CBD?

The short answer? No.

As stated above, CBD is not psychotropic, unlike THC, meaning it won’t perceivably alter your dog’s mental state.

According to the Farm Bill of 2018, CBD products are only considered legal under federal law if they contain less than 0.3% THC. Since all the products at Go Botanicals abide by these guidelines, you don’t need to worry about getting your dog high when they eat them.

However, we don’t just ensure that our CBD pet products abide by these regulations to uphold the law. We also do it to help ensure your dog’s overall safety and well-being, which remains our utmost priority.

While humans often use THC as a recreational substance to achieve a sense of euphoria, the psychoactive cannabinoid can produce a wide range of adverse effects when given to dogs in high concentrations. Some of the effects that a dog may experience when exposed to high levels of THC include;

Nausea and vomiting
Drooling
Tense muscles
Increased heart rate
Poor coordination
Drowsiness and lethargy
Staggering and difficulty walking

It is critically important to keep our precious pets safe and healthy. Because of this, always ensure your pet-friendly CBD products never exceed 0.3% THC. Make sure you only purchase the highest quality products containing pure CBD extract so that your dog can receive as many benefits as possible without encountering the adverse side effects triggered by high levels of THC.

That said, please keep in mind that certain dog breeds may react differently to CBD than expected, much like humans. It is, therefore, important to ensure you choose a low dose for your dog when administering CBD dog treats for the first time, upping the dosage as necessary in the future.

What Are the Benefits of CBD Treats for Dogs?

Much like humans, dogs enjoy a wide range of benefits from consuming CBD oil. According to recent research and studies, CBD can help dogs deal with seizures, anxiety, pain, and inflammation.

Now, scientists have discovered that CBD helps people suffering from insomnia by making it easier for them to fall and stay asleep. The compound has also proven quite useful in managing depression and glaucoma and improving appetite.

It stands to reason, therefore, that the next step is figuring out whether CBD products can help dogs in similar ways.

Uncovering whether these potential benefits of CBD ring true for dogs as well is incredibly important. For one, it will help remove the cloud of doubt that many dog owners are faced with.

More importantly, it will provide a safer and more affordable non-pharmaceutical alternative to the medications dogs typically receive for these and other health problems.

How Much CBD Oil Should I Give My Dog?

To answer this question, we’ll need to look into how dogs’ bodies respond to and interact with CBD. Like human beings, dogs have a prevalent endocannabinoid system (ECS) that’s responsible for how their systems react to CBD. This system affects their brain, eyes, mood, stomach, and even hearts.

However, despite the similarities, your dog’s endocannabinoid system differs quite significantly from yours. Understanding these differences and how to factor them in when giving your dog CBD is the first step to making sure you always choose the right dose.

Most quality CBD dog products will come with dosage recommendations. This is a good place to start as you figure out the exact amount of CBD your fur friend needs.

Are you looking for a top-quality new source of effective CBD tinctures and chews for your pets? Consider exploring our shop at Go Botanicals today to learn more about our different products and the various benefits that they may be able to produce in your pet’s life.

The Endocannabinoid System in Dogs

Technically speaking, the ECS is a lipid signaling system in the body that plays a huge role in various biological, physiological, and psychological processes.

This system comprises endogenous cannabinoids, (cannabinoids that are produced naturally in the body) cannabinoid receptors, and enzymes. All these play a huge role in homeostasis and controlling internal body functions.

When the ECS in dogs is out of balance, that is, when their bodies have fewer endocannabinoids than they need, negative physical symptoms may begin to manifest. These include vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, sleeplessness, and mood instability. When CBD is introduced manually into their systems through dietary or any other means, it helps balance their ECS, significantly doing away with these symptoms.

What dog owners need to understand, however, is that dogs have way more cannabinoid receptors in their brains than humans do. For this reason, they tend to react more acutely to cannabis and CBD.

They may also exhibit stronger effects after consuming CBD than a person that’s taken the same dose. This is why you ought to be very careful when choosing a CBD dosage for dogs. Also, keep an eye out for potential CBD side effects that some dogs may experience, especially if given a higher dose. These effects can include dry mouth and increased thirst levels, mild drowsiness, and lowered blood pressure.

How Much CBD is Enough for Dogs?

This study, which was conducted in 2018, reported that CBD when correctly administered to dogs is not only safe but also beneficial.

It also found that the proper CBD dosage for dogs is about 2mg/kg. Bodyweight is incredibly important when dosing out CBD; it ties into other factors like metabolism and should, therefore, be the core of your dosage protocol.

It’s also important to remember that dogs’ bodies absorb and metabolize CBD much easier when the products are administered together with food. If you’re looking to introduce CBD to your dog’s regimen, researchers would recommend mixing it with fatty foods.

How to Administer CBD Oil to a Dog

Dogs can receive CBD through pretty much the same methods as humans. Oral administration is preferred since it’s faster and more convenient. It also ensures that more of the CBD the dog ingests is absorbed into its bloodstream.

Chews and other edibles are incredibly popular means of administering CBD to dogs. Individual CBD dog treats are typically small and easy to chew; they also commonly have a chicken or peanut butter flavor, making them palatable for your furry friends. Thanks to their consistency and size, they can be mixed quite easily with dog food. The taste and texture make them perfect to be given as a treat and they are enjoyed by some of the pickiest pups.

Another popular method of giving CBD oil to dogs is placing it directly in their mouths using an oral tincture. Many CBD products for dogs have a tasty chicken or beef flavor that your dog will love, especially if you pour the dosage into their food.

How Long Do CBD Pet Products Take to Work?

While CBD dog treats and tinctures effectively provide many benefits, responsible pet owners need to understand that they don’t work instantaneously. You’ll need to wait before you start to see your dog feel the desired effects.

In general, CBD dog treats will begin to take effect within 30 minutes to a few hours if you’re giving them for anxiety-related issues. If you’re giving them CBD to help relieve chronic pain, arthritis, or other physical problems, it can take as long as four or more weeks before your pup starts feeling the full effects.

Sadly, there’s no way for our dogs to tell us that they’re feeling better after taking CBD. That said, owners should watch for some key clues that the CBD is doing its job to help your little buddy out.

Suppose your dog suffers from separation anxiety, for example. In that case, you may notice them become more calm and more relaxed when you leave or return home from work after giving them CBD, especially if it’s used over an extended period. If they used to whine and bark every time you’d get ready to walk out the door in the morning, you may notice that they soon become unfazed by your daily departure. These are all clear signs that CBD is starting to do its job.

If you use pet CBD to treat your dog’s chronic pain, you may notice that they’re back to walking and playing as they used to after a few weeks of taking their CBD.

What Other Factors Impact How Long CBD Takes to Work?

Aside from what you’re giving your dog CBD for, there are also a range of other factors that can impact how effective it is and how long it takes to show noticeable effects. Some of these factors include;

The Brand You Use

Not all CBD pet products are created equal, and some won’t have as big or as quick of an impact as others. It’s important to always select your CBD pet products- along with your human ones- from a quality brand that delivers only top-quality goods to its consumers, like Go Botanicals.

The Product’s Potency

The potency of your CBD dog treats or tinctures also plays a significant role in how long it will take to start producing the desired effects. It’s essential to keep potency in mind when determining your dog’s dosage so that you don’t accidentally give them the wrong amount of CBD.

Your Dog’s Body Size and Weight

Your dog’s body size and weight are other significant factors impacting how quickly CBD products start to take effect. For example, an underweight dog that suffers from anxiety may feel the impact of CBD more quickly than a dog of average weight who also deals with anxiety. This means that dogs that are in generally good health may take longer to feel benefits from the CBD.

Can I Give My Dog Human CBD Oil?

This is the question that many people worry about – is it necessary to give my dog animal CBD or can I give him a drop of my own oil?

While many believe that any CBD products are typically the same- whether classified as for animals or humans- others are convinced that you should only go for brands specifically meant for dogs.

This is because human CBD products often contain additives like caffeine and xylitol which dogs may find toxic and hard to metabolize. Human CBD oil may also contain trace amounts of THC and other cannabinoids, making them improper for dogs and other pets.

If you find yourself drawn more to the former opinion than the latter, you should look through the product’s label to ensure it doesn’t contain any of these harmful additives before giving it to your dog.

How to Choose the Best CBD Oil for Your Dog

Now that we’ve looked at the benefits of giving CBD oil to your dogs, we should probably get into the things you should keep in mind when choosing the best product. The question of where to buy CBD oil for dogs is very important. After all, no one wants to introduce something to their beloved pets before they’ve conducted enough research.

When looking for the best CBD for dogs, it’s important to buy from a manufacturer that’s licensed to sell CBD and extracts its CBD from industrial hemp. You should also choose a brand whose products are third-party tested; this ensures all the contents are safe for consumption. It also guarantees you can trust the information that’s been included on their product labels. When purchasing CBD, you should be able to easily determine the expiration date and storage recommendations for the product.

Another important factor to consider is convenience and reliability. Today, when you can buy and receive products without ever leaving your home, it is an added bonus to purchase from a company that offers this same convenience.

Is It Safe To Start Your Pet With CBD?

The CBD industry is projected to exceed $3.5 billion in 2023. Keeping in mind the numerous conditions and physical issues that the compound can help manage, we believe this number is set to only go higher.

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