It didn’t take long for cannabidiol to find its way into our pets’ diet and health supplements. This is because its many health benefits are hard to miss. The chemical was originally used by us humans to treat several health problems including epilepsy, seizures, and anxiety, among others.
But since our pets also suffer these health problems, it only made sense that they receive CBD treatment as well. Common pets like dogs and cats suffer from anxiety, one of the main issues cannabidiol has proven to be effective in fighting. Most people only started taking cannabidiol because of the many reports they have heard about how it works well in reducing anxiety levels.
Similarly, pet owners with pets that suffer from the illness have also turned to several cannabidiol products to help keep their pets healthy and in good mental shape. Despite its growing popularity, many pet parents are still skeptical about the chemical compound because they do not fully understand what it is and how safe consuming it is for animals. Before we dive into CBD oil itself, let us first get a fundamental understanding of the chemical and clear out any confusion.
Aren’t CBD and Marijuana The same?
No, they are two completely different things. CBD is among several other chemical compounds (cannabinoids) that are found in the cannabis plant, while marijuana is a type of cannabis plant. Cannabidiol is gotten from another strain of cannabis closely related to marijuana or weed. This other variant is known as hemp.
Marijuana is known for its ability to cause a high when consumed either by smoking, vaping, or eating, thanks to its high concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Like CBD, THC is a cannabinoid and the only difference between the two is that the latter is psychoactive and the former, non-psychoactive.
Both weed and hemp contain these two cannabinoids, but they do so in different quantities. Weed has a high concentration of THC and a low concentration of CBD while the opposite is the case for hemp. It is because of this that commercially sold cannabidiol is primarily extracted from hemp.
Are You Saying My Pet Won’t Get High from CBD?
Yes, the chance of your pet getting high from cannabidiol obtained from hemp is next to zero. As have been mentioned, the chemical is non-psychoactive and so, is unable to interact with those parts of the brain that THC would.
Is it Clinically Safe?
For the most part, yes. It is safe. While research into how CBD affects pets is still in the infant stage, studies so far reveal that it is safe and has no serious side effects. 90% of cannabidiol research so far has been on dogs and humans and not so much has been done for other pets like cats.
While this may sound discouraging for these groups of parents who are yet to begin administering the chemical to their pets, others that have, report that it works and there are no life-threatening side effects.
Slight drowsiness and sedation, and upset stomach appear to be the only major concerns when it comes to cannabidiol and pets. Some parents have complained that their pet became drowsy after taking the chemical while others report stomach aches. It is believed that both these side-effects are products of high dosage and can be easily eliminated by correcting the administered dosage. You can view more of its benefits by running a simple Google search.
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oils are one of the several ways that both humans and animals can consume the cannabinoid. They are simply extracted from the plant and passed through certain processes to make them fit for consumption.
There are two types of cannabidiol oil available on the market. They are:
- Full spectrum
- Broad spectrum
Full Spectrum
This type of oil contains cannabidiol and all the other chemicals that occur naturally in cannabis, including THC, flavonoids, and terpenes. They usually contain less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol and other chemicals like flavonoid and terpenes. They all have many health benefits and work to make the oil more therapeutic and potent for humans.
Broad Spectrum
This type of oil does not contain THC, but the absence of THC doesn’t in any way reduce its potency as it will produce just about the same effects as the full spectrum oil since it contains all the other chemicals.
What About Isolates?
Isolates are cannabidiol in its purest form, that is, it doesn’t contain any other chemicals. To get isolates, cannabis is first passed through an extraction process to extract CBD. Once this is done, the extract is then passed through several filtration processes to remove all impurities (other chemicals).
People that want to experience the effect of just cannabidiol turn to isolates, but it isn’t as effective and potent as the other two alternatives. This is because the combination of all the other chemicals work to produce an “entourage effect”, which basically means that they perform better when taken as a whole.
How Do I Know the Right Dosage for My Pet?
Dosages vary depending on a pet’s weight or ailment. The weightier ones can handle higher dosages of about 12mg max while smaller pets between 7 and 15 pounds shouldn’t be given above 6mg. As mentioned earlier, excess dosages may cause slight sedation and stomach aches, so make sure you get it right.
If you’re not sure, you can start from the minimum dosage of 1.5mg and work it up as you study your pet’s reaction until you find the right one. Unlike other ways of consuming this cannabinoid, oil offer the best chance of regulating dosage. This is something you may want to consider if you’d like to explore other options like treats. Visit https://angelaardolino.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-cbd-dosing-for-pets/ to learn more about dosage by ailment.
Conclusion
Your pet may be fine taking the oil directly into its mouth or may dislike the taste. If the latter is the case with yours, you do not need to be worried as some other pets too dislike the raw taste of CBD oil. What you can do is to add it to its food so that the taste is masked.