Cannabis CBD: Treating Pets with Medical Benefits

People has been taking their dog by the leash in recent years to treat their symptoms with CBD. Without worries about the law or licensing and with no fear of negative effects, pet parents (mostly dog owners) have turned to CBD to treat several apparent canine ailments.

If you know your pet well enough, the dog can “tell” you things aren’t going well. You can detect anxiety during thunderstorms or fireworks. Dogs are demonstrably sad or out of sorts when suffering pain. And, they are victims of nausea, vomiting, and other canine troubles.

So, who’s treating pets with CBD?

• “The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) is sponsoring a study, through the Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, that will evaluate the use of CBD in treatment-resistant epileptic dogs. The CHF hopes that this will be the first study to gain scientific data on the use of CBD in dogs with this condition.”
• Prevention reported 89% of dogs that received CBD in a 2019 clinical trial by Colorado State’s Dr. Stephanie M. McGrath had reductions in the frequency of seizures.
• Veterinary Practice News announced, “Pet insurance claims for cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp products increased by 300 percent between 2017 and 2018.”
• CNBC quoted the Brightfield Group’s claim that “Sales of CBD pet products quadrupled last year to $32 million from $8 million in 2017.”
• According to PetMD, “Cannabis oil can be used to treat seizures, nausea, stress, anxiety, arthritis, back pain, symptoms of cancer, and gastrointestinal issues, among other health conditions in dogs.”
• Consumer Reports says, “In a survey conducted this year by the Veterinary Information Network, an online community of veterinarians, nearly two-thirds of survey respondents said they were asked about cannabis by their patients at least once a month.”
• Results of an American Veterinarian survey concluded. “When asked if they ever recommend CBD products for their canine patients, 66% said they never do, 12% said they sometimes recommend them, and just 5% said they ‘frequently’ do.”

And, the list goes on. There is more activity and excitement in this market potential than in human use.

What’s going on?

Dogs, cats, and similar mammalian pets have endocannabinoid systems with CB1 and CB2 receptors — just like humans. Their systems are on a different scale, of course, and vary from species to species. Still, their systems are just as likely to respond to the introduction of cannabinoids from cannabis and hemp.

WARNING: Animals respond negatively (even fatally) to THC. It should not be administered in any form or dose.

However, more people than ever are choosing to treat common canine problem with CBD oil:

• King Kanine™ markets dozens of products including CBD oils prepared with different sized dogs in mind and a whole line designed for different breeds. Products include  Phytocannabinoid-rich (PCR) broad spectrum oil suspended in omega-3 rich krill oil with valuable essential fatty acids.
• MediPets offers CBD oil products for cats and dogs in dosages according to size. The produce top quality CBD oils and CBD oil products quality tested by third party labs.
• Hemp My Pet sells Certified Organic Colorado Hemp seed oil, a full-spectrum extract, including Vitamins B1, B2, B6, E, calcium, copper, enzymes, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid).
• Honest Paws is a low-priced option with its Purity Oil in three levels corresponding to the dog’s size. Their all-natural products are GMO-free, lab-tested, and soy-free.
• HolistaPet is another low-cost product line of full spectrum CBD oil formulated for dogs, cats, and rabbits. Products include no additives or preservations and provide gluten-free, dairy-free, and GMO-free wellness benefits.

The best of CBD-infused edibles and pet treats include several of those already listed. But here’s a short list of the best CBD edible products for pets:

• Austin and Kat sell dog biscuits exclusively online. Their single product sounds yummy with organic hemp CBD mixed into almond meal apples, cinnamon, coconut oil, gluten free oats, oat flour, peanut butter, tapioca flour, turmeric, white rice flour, and xanthan Gum.
• Canna Pets® dog treats deliver Canna-Pet® Advanced in every bite. Organic and vegan, their biscuits come in flavors like Maple Bacon, Turkey, and Peanut/Banana/Apple.
• CBD Essence distributes Healthy Dog CBD Snacks, little bone biscuits infused with their human grade oral dose formula.
• Green Gorilla™ promotes its Hemp & Olive Pet Care. These are naturally lamb-flavored and freeze-dried nibbles with approximately 3mg of active CBD per piece.
• Green Wellness has a variety of biscuits and chewable snacks in grain-free, preservative-free, and are non-GMO formulas flavored with pumpkin, turkey, or blueberry.

There’s even more!

Dozens of sources provide CBD-infused biscuits. There are recipes you can prepare on your own. But there are dozens of other pet products in lotions, sprays, and tinctures.

However, it’s crucial you select the dosage appropriate for your pet’s size. And, you should consult with your veterinarian on any treatment. If your pet shows signs of anxiety, nausea, digestive issues, inflammation-related pain, or more, CBD may prove helpful. There is enough anecdotal evidence and increasing science to suggest that it works. But those symptoms could be signs of problems needing veterinarian care. So, think it over!