What Is CBD For Pets?
There have been various studies and clinical trials that show CBD to be effective as a method of treatment for anxiety, sleep, pain, epilepsy and even PTSD in humans. With such a positive impact on humans, it is recommended for dogs, cats and various other pets too!
CBD is a compound that is found within cannabis plants, hemp in specific. It targets the endocannabinoid system, which is present in all mammals, by altering sensations within the nervous system, spine, brain and organs. It helps maintain a balance of systems in the body.
Our bodies make their own cannabinoids, too! As the name implies, cannabinoids affect your endocannabinoid system. This is true for humans, but also for all other mammals – including cats and dogs!
You and your pet both have an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which has a positive affect on the brain, skin, heart, eyes, stomach – and even your mood. It is involved in managing a wide variety of biological processes, including memory, sleep, immune response, and more. It mainly consists of two types of cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2). These receptors are built to interact with endocannabinoids (cannabinoids naturally produced by the brain), which in turn cause a variety of responses throughout the body.
The endocannabinoid system is essentially the system that processes cannabinoids introduced into the body
How Does It Work For Pets?
CBD oils and other cannabinoids have become popular in helping people throughout the world with various health needs. So, now an increasing amount of pet owners are asking whether CBD oil is suitable for their pets too!
Although there are critical differences in metabolism, between people and pets, the effects of CBD seem to be relatively consistent across different species. This consistency has led many to believe that experimenting with CBD oil might be a good option to help with their pets issues.
CBD oil is not a treatment for any underlying conditions that your pet may have, but like many conventional pharmaceutical drugs, it can be used to relieve symptoms. So what are some of the symptoms it may help?
Moderate to severe pain
Pets suffer from nerve, joint, chronic, or injury related pains on a regular basis. They can be controlled and greatly managed by the use of CBD for pets. Illnesses like arthritis are very common and painful for our fur babies, and CBD oil can help alter the sensations felt by neuron receptors.
Arthritis & Joint pain
CBD oil is an anti-inflammatory in nature thus helping treat illnesses like arthritis, which so many dogs and cats deal with as they age.
Inflammation
Other inflammation related illnesses include inflammatory bowel disease and chronic inflammation. It can even help with allergies, congestion and hypersensitivity.
Anxiety & Stress
Using CBD oil for pets might just be what you need to do to help ease them out in tense situations like the absence of an owner, being in an unfamiliar environment, or even if they’re scared of fireworks!
Epileptic Seizures
Pets suffer from seizures caused by disorders like epilepsy. If not looked after meticulously, these seizures can be fatal. Using the best CBD oil for dogs and cats can not only control them but reduce them in the long term.
Symptoms form Cancer CBD
Is believed to have properties that discourage the growth of tumors but it has not been proven. It does however improve the immune system, helping the body fight off illnesses.
What Does The Research Say?
Studies in 2015, demonstrated administration of CBD as a balm or a topical cream has long-lasting therapeutic effects without psychoactive side-effects. Thus, use of topical CBD has potential as effective treatment of arthritic symptomatology. The data indicated that topical application of CBD is an effective treatment for reduction in inflammation and hypersensitivity as it reduced inflammation and pain-related behaviours in a rat model of arthritis.
A later 2017 study showed that CBD was so effective at reducing inflammation due to arthritis in rats that it actually prevented subsequent nerve damage from the progression of this disease. It works so well, in fact, that according to Dogs Naturally magazine, “scientists are considering it a new class of drug to treat chronic pain.” Furthermore, they report that studies show that pain can be reduced through the use of CBD oil in cases of intestinal inflammation, nerve related pain, acute pancreatitis, general inflammation and more.
Dr. Stephanie McGrath has found that 89 percent of dogs who received CBD in a clinical trial had a reduction in the frequency of seizures.
The trials highlighted the positive effect of CBD oil on seizure reduction. In addition to the distinct reduction of seizures in the group of dogs that received CBD oil, the scientists also recorded a significant association between the degree of seizure reduction and the amount of CBD concentration in the dog’s blood.
“It’s really exciting that perhaps we can start looking at CBD in the future as an alternative to existing anticonvulsive drugs,” Dr. Stephanie McGrath stated.