Copyright: Pixabay / author: Couleur / I License: CC0 Public Domain
Dogs are our best friends. In fact, they are part of our family. We take care of them and make sure they have everything they need to live a happy and healthy life. But, as time goes by, they get older and some health conditions affect them. If you have been looking for things that can help your dog age carelessly and healthily, you have probably come across CBD. As studies show, it can help your dog with many age-related conditions, such as arthritis.
Many dog owners started giving CBD to their elderly dogs. To ensure its quality, they buy products that are grown under LED grow lights, in natural soil, with a proper ventilation system, and other standards for growing cannabis. According to what has been found, CBD can help your dog with many age-related issues. So, let’s have a look at them.
Can Reduce the Symptoms of Arthritis
Arthritis (osteoarthritis) is one of the most common problems for elderly dogs. Every fourth dog is diagnosed with this condition in their life. While there is no cure for this condition, CBD can help reduce the symptoms associated with it.
The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD allow it to reduce the inflammation caused by worn-out cartilage. They also help relieve joint pain, thus improving their mobility and making them feel better. As studies have shown, CBD can help elderly dogs with arthritis when given twice a day, at the right dose.
It Can Reduce Inflammatory Pain
Apart from reducing the symptoms of arthritis, CBD can also reduce the inflammatory pain associated with other health conditions. Hence, it can help reduce the pain caused by intestinal inflammation, intervertebral disc disease, and surgery. It can also help dogs recover faster from an injury.
Reduces Anxiety
While it seems that dogs don’t stress out as humans, they too can be anxious. Many dogs suffer from general anxiety, separation anxiety, and various phobias. CBD can help elderly dogs deal with anxiety due to its soothing properties. As studies found, CBD can reduce stress and anxiety by blocking the stress pathways in the brain. In that way, they prevent the transmission of nerve signals and calm down your dog. Moreover, CBD can activate the chemical transmission between the receptors that relax your dog when stressed out.
Copyright: Unsplash / author: roaming_angel / I License: CC0 Public Domain
It Improves Brain Health
Like humans, dogs suffer from age-related neurodegenerative diseases, too. Canine cognitive dysfunction and Alzheimer’s disease are common medical conditions old dogs face. CBD can help prevent or delay these conditions by supporting the normal cellular function and providing mitochondrial support. Moreover, there are studies currently investigating the anti-inflammatory, antipsychotic, anti-nausea, and anticonvulsant properties of CBD to identify how they can benefit the brain in old dogs.
Increases Appetite and Reduces Nausea
If you have a senior dog, you may have noticed a decline in its eating. While a slight lack of appetite is normal for aging dogs, rejecting food, especially when accompanied by nausea is a sign of an underlying medical condition. Conditions like worms and irritable bowel disease can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In those cases, receiving all nutrients is of crucial importance for your dogs’ health and recovery.
If your dog suffers from any medical condition that causes lack or loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting, a proper diet is essential. Nutrients and electrolytes will replenish the lost amounts and will give your dog strength to fight with the condition. If your dog doesn’t receive them, it will become very weak and vulnerable to the damages its condition causes.
CBD can help increase the appetite caused by certain health issues. It counteracts by activating the hunger feeling and reducing nausea. When dogs don’t have nausea, they feel better, their appetite increases, and they eat without vomiting the food. In that way, they absorb the nutrients they need to be strong and healthy and recover faster.
Is CBD Safe to Use?
Numerous studies have shown that CBD is safe to use in dogs. However, since not all products on the market are equal, you have to make sure you choose a high-quality product. In order to do that, you should look for a product that is manufactured by a well-known, reputable company.
Moreover, you need to make sure it’s of the highest quality and that it contains only ingredients that are safe for dogs. In order to do that, you should look for a Certificate of Analysis provided by an independent laboratory. This document certifies that the contents of the product listed on the label are correct and safe to use.
Another factor that plays an important role in safety is the dosage. You need to know how much CBD you can give your dog and how often. Usually, the dosage is written on the product’s label, but you can also consult with your vet.
