Cannabidiol (CBD) treats various ailments such as insomnia, chronic pain, inflammation, and anxiety. But did you know that there are CBD products you can buy in marijuana dispensaries that are specifically made for dogs?
Most dog parents use Cannabidiol products, particularly CBD oil, to relieve their pet’s anxiety. CBD oil is also used to help manage seizures and alleviate pain as an alternative to strong medications. This post delves deeper into the benefits of CBD oil in calming your anxious dog so that it can be the best boy or girl in your eyes again. Before you try prescription drugs, you can try to treat your dog’s anxiety using various de-stressing methods for anxiety.
What’s Causing The Anxiety?
Dogs can be stressed when separated from you even if it’s just for a few mins.
Like humans, dogs feel anxious when they are bored or lonely. Several reasons can trigger a dog’s anxiety. They include being around strangers or other pets, traveling, and loud noises. Some of the common signs of an anxious dog include:
- Loud howling or barking when the owner isn’t home
- Cowering or hiding in the corner of the house
- Pacing and panting even if it’s not hot
- Excessive licking, chewing, and other self-harm activities
- Destroying furniture and other objects
- Shivering
Meanwhile, some dogs are more prone to anxiety because of their age. During the latter years of a dog’s life, they have a declining cognitive understanding which can exacerbate the old-age-onset separation anxiety. Simply put, dogs are more anxious when they feel that they will be left alone.
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is a type of oil extracted from the cannabis Sativa plant, a hemp plant. It’s a type of cannabinoid or natural chemical that has several uses. One of the more popular cannabinoids is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, found in marijuana or weed.
The main difference between CBD and other cannabinoids is that it contains only a tiny fraction of THC. Hence, it’s not as psychoactive as weed or pot products sold in a marijuana dispensary. It’s non-euphoric and will not leave your dogs feeling high. Instead, it will make them calmer and more relaxed.
Is CBD legal for pets?
The production of CBD oil derived from hemp is legal by federal law. According to California cannabis laws, CBD is still legal for pets. It’s also legal in some states, such as Washington D.C., Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, and Nevada.
Meanwhile, most states like Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina and Wyoming conditionally legalized hemp-derived products.
However, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) rule, CBD and hemp are federally prohibited as ingredients in pet food.
CBD Oil For Anxiety: How Does it Work?
Dogs manage stress by chewing to discharge their excitement.
According to research, CBD oil naturally reduces anxiety by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system. However, the said system is quite complex and very few studies have been done to understand it further.
Researchers noted that the endocannabinoid system, made up of cannabinoid receptors found in the brain, organs, and central nervous system, exists in the body not only in humans but also in animals.
Endocannabinoid substances that the body naturally produces interact with the receptors. This interaction activates the body’s inherent capacity to produce serotonin, a chemical that naturally stabilizes mood. CBD oil improves this inherent capability.
Does CBD Really Work For Anxiety In Dogs?
Most dog parents who give their pets CBD oil will tell you that it has helped calm their canine companions. Some parents even claim that it has helped control seizures and neuropathic pain in their dogs.
However, since there is no formal study about the benefits of CBD in dogs, most of these claims are anecdotal evidence. So, the short answer is it might work on most anxious dogs, but you need to ask the medical opinion of your pet’s vet.
CBD Oil Dosage For Anxiety
Here is a dosing chart if you want to give your pet dogs or cats CBD oil:
|
Pet Weight (lbs) |
Low Dose (mg) |
Medium Dose (mg) |
High Dose (mg) |
|
0 to 10 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
|
10 to 20 |
2 |
6 |
10 |
|
20 to 30 |
3 |
9 |
15 |
|
30 to 40 |
4 |
12 |
20 |
|
40 to 50 |
5 |
15 |
25 |
|
50 to 60 |
6 |
18 |
30 |
|
60 to 70 |
7 |
21 |
35 |
|
70 to 80 |
8 |
24 |
40 |
|
80 to 90 |
9 |
27 |
45 |
|
90 to 100 |
10 |
30 |
50 |
How To Find High-Quality CBD Oil
The best way to find high-quality CBD oil is to ask for a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) on the products sold by the marijuana dispensary. You can also look for labels such as “Whole Plant” and “Full Spectrum” to ensure that the CBD oil is pure.
Photo credit: Photo by Karolina Grabowska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/small-dog-hiding-under-couch-5913975/
https://unsplash.com/photos/pCyF1HIMovI
https://unsplash.com/photos/A-YUeXZ1rq8
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