CBD (Cannabidiol) is the main medicinal compound of cannabis that plays a key role in delivering its therapeutic effects.
Found in varied quantities across the cannabaceae plant family, it can either be used along with other cannabinoids such as THC, or in isolated forms by extracting it from the raw plant matter.
Regardless of how you use it though, CBD is known for delivering its wide range of health benefits without causing any ‘high.’
It is for this reason that CBD is considered a relatively safer type of weed, especially for those with certain medical conditions such as chronic pain, epilepsy, and inflammation.
As friendly as it is for humans, CBD can also be administered to animals and pets for specific health conditions.
In that, dogs, being our most loyal friends, can also avail the promising benefits of CBD for several health conditions including arthritic pain, itchiness, anxiety, and cancer.
Before we delve deeper into its wide array of health benefits for dogs, let us quickly understand how it interacts with their system.
The primary reason for the efficacy of CBD or cannabis as a whole in dogs is the presence of an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that naturally produces essential cannabinoids such as CBD and THC in required amounts.
Found in all vertebrates, these endocannabinoids happen to regulate many of the functions that are integral for the stabilization of their bodies in the end.
It is when the ECS, which is embedded throughout their bodies as special endocannabinoid receptors, fails to produce the ideal amounts of CBD; that administering them externally does the trick of stimulating or mimicking the desired functions.
As opposed to THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in weed, CBD does not cause any intoxication whatsoever thus becoming a safer substance for pets.
At worst, all it can do is cause diarrhea or potentially interact with the metabolization of other drugs.
In any case, if your dog is already on some medications, it is best to consult with a veterinarian beforehand.
Key Benefits of CBD for Dogs
While the mainstream research on the efficacy of CBD for dogs is rather limited, thousands of studies have shown positive results for several diseases nonetheless.
These include:
1. Arthritis
As an analgesic drug, CBD is known to be particularly effective against chronic pain including that of arthritis and osteoarthritis.
According to a study conducted by the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, about 80% of dogs suffering from osteoarthritis-related pain saw a significant decline in pain modulation after consuming CBD.
Given at a dosage of 4.4 mg per pound twice daily for a month, it showed remarkable results not only for pain relief but also for the overall quality of their life.
For instance, some dogs who were quite feeble and almost derelict in the beginning, so much so that their owners rightfully considered euthanasia as the only option, after taking CBD displayed remarkable changes in their vigor and health and became more active and comfortable in the end.
2. Itchiness
Itchiness is a common issue for pets that keeps them from enjoying their lives fully.
Often caused by dermatologic allergies such as atopy, its symptoms include inflammation, swelling, and skin lesions accompanied by excessive itching and chewing.
Again, CBD has shown to be quite promising here leading to a substantial decrease in itching and chewing.
To be specific, as per the Australian animal therapeutics company CannPal, about 65% of the dogs who took CBD showed at least a 50% decrease in itching and chewing while half of them showed no visible signs of itchiness post-CBD treatment that lasted between 4 to 8 weeks in total.
3. Cancer
Widely believed to be an anti-cancer supplement, CBD has shown promising results in dogs suffering from cancer as well.
Known to kill the cancer cells and prevent their further spreading aka metastasis, CBD along with chemotherapy-based drugs can significantly reduce the symptoms of cancer.
That is, when taken along with standard chemotherapy drugs, CBD can reduce the cancer-cell proliferation in vitro more effectively than the chemotherapy drug alone.
Moreover, anecdotal reports have their claims of shrinking the cancer cells in dogs for the much-needed remission.
All in all, due to its synergistic approach, CBD along with some standard chemotherapy drugs happens to help with cancer in dogs and humans alike.
4. Anxiety
As an organic anxiolytic, CBD can also reduce anxiety in pets.
Although limited to anecdotal reports, CBD has shown to be quite effective in dogs who are prone to exhibit aggressive tendencies whether due to anxiety or too much noise.
As far as proper research is concerned, a study conducted by the University of Western Australia claims that dogs with aggressive tendencies exhibited less aggression toward humans when tested after 15 days of CBD administration.
Similarly, according to a Cornell study, 83% of dogs who were given CBD chews before a stressful event showed a decrease in stress or anxiety-related behaviors.
Despite these promising results, more studies on different CBD products and their ideal dosages are required to understand the effectiveness of CBD for anxiety in dogs.
Thanks to the growing acceptance of weed as of late, the chances of that happening soon are not far-fetched.
5. Seizures
Perhaps the most controversial health effect of CBD in dogs is its ability to fight seizures.
Controversial, because it works in some cases to some degree and sometimes, it just does not.
In any case, dogs who were given CBD had 33 percent fewer seizures than those given a placebo as published in a study carried out by the Colorado State University.
However, it is important to note that since THC has been reported to induce seizures in dogs, your CBD products for dogs must have no THC in them.
In addition to that, due to its potential interaction with other anti-seizure drugs, it is always better to consult with a veterinarian before administering CBD to your pet dog.
Along with all these common health issues, CBD has also shown promising results in promoting bone healing, fighting infection, treating inflammatory bowel disease, slowing degenerative myelopathy, quelling nausea, and relieving pain, albeit only anecdotally.
How to Choose the Right CBD Product for Dogs
As effective and promising as it is, CBD and cannabis as a whole are often overlooked by the pharmaceutical industry as it is not yet fully approved or regulated by the FDA.
As such, the use of CBD for canine-related issues is also not regulated and is largely anecdotal.
And besides, there are tons of CBD products for dogs out there that you can get your hands on as we speak.
To avoid falling for the wrong product though, here is what you should do:
• Look for a product with the National Animal Supplement Counsel (NASC) Seal of Quality Assurance.
• Check for a third-party certificate of analysis for proper lab testing.
• Go through the product label for its potency levels, ingredients, and the presence of heavy metals, pesticides, and mycotoxins.
• Avoid edible products meant for human consumption.
• Choose products with a wide range of cannabinoids including terpenes and flavonoids but no THC (better known as wide-spectrum products).
• Aim for products with about 0.1 to 0.2 mg CBD per kilogram of your dog’s weight which should be administered by mouth twice daily.
And most importantly, avoid THC at all costs as it can cause intoxication and even death in certain cases, especially when taken in human-oriented dosages.
Conclusion
Used since olden times in animal feed, cannabis, or CBD to be specific, offers plenty of benefits to our loyal companions.
Albeit, not approved by the FDA as is the case with most other prescription drugs for humans as well as common supplements for dogs, hemp-derived products with less than 0.3 percent THC are still legal.
Despite being limited, compelling evidence suggests the efficacy of CBD in dogs for various health conditions.
From pain management to relief from anxiety and inflammation, the promising effects of CBD continue to come to light as more and more research on cannabis as a potential therapeutic herb starts to take place in the medical community.
For now, CBD can be used to treat arthritic pain, itchiness, cancer, anxiety, and seizures in dogs while more substantial research is on the horizon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although, generally considered to be a safe substance for dogs; as a biphasic drug, CBD tends to affect every dog differently depending on a lot of factors, primarily, the dosage.
Moreover, since it can interact with other medications, you should always consult with a veterinarian before using CBD on a dog.
The onset of its effects depends largely on the product type or the method of consumption.
In that, CBD oils are considered the fastest method as they can instantly get into the bloodstream, especially, when administered sublingually.
As an effective analgesic, CBD happens to be a natural pain reliever. So, yes! It can be quite helpful for dogs suffering from chronic pain.
Anything between 0.1 to 0.2 mg per kilogram of your dog’s weight can be given to it twice daily by mouth. However, anything less or more than that can induce a biphasic effect, meaning it may not work.
While regarded safe, CBD can potentially interact with the metabolization of other medications that your dog is on. Therefore, to be safe, it is advised to consult with a qualified veterinarian.
In worst-case scenarios though, CBD can lead to diarrhea and changes in some liver enzyme values.
