Hemp Oil for Dogs
Dog lovers everywhere, particularly those looking for a natural remedy for their pet’s pain, anxiety or seizures, will appreciate the growing scientific evidence for using CBD from hemp to temper many canine medical conditions and help support healthy, graceful aging of their cherished companions.
Is Hemp Oil Good for Dogs?
If you’re searching for a natural path towards your dog living a healthy life, then CBD Oil from hemp has definitely become the next big thing in the medical world. CBD as an off-label medication has the benefit of helping pets live a happier, healthier, and more pain-free lives.
Cannabis Oil for Dogs
Firstly, for those who are less familiar with CBD for dogs and the science of Cannabidiol, here is some general information. To begin, Cannabis (marijuana) and Hemp both come from the plant Cannabis Sativa (though marijuana also comes from another member of the Cannabis family, Cannabis Indica). The cannabis plant has over 80 chemicals called cannabinoids–the two main types of cannabinoids being Cannabidiol (CBD) & Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
CBD or Cannabidiol is a natural compound produced by the cannabis or hemp plant. But how does it actually work?
Although hemp plants and marijuana plants are both the same Cannabis Sativa species, they have distinct phytochemical compositions.
Compared to whole plant CBD-rich cannabis, industrial hemp is typically low in cannabinoid content. A huge amount of hemp is required to extract a small amount of CBD, thereby raising the risk of contaminants because hemp, a bio-accumulator, draws toxins from the soil. That’s a great feature for restoring a poisoned ecosystem, but it’s not recommended for extracting medicinal oil.
Second, in general, hemp is low in THC and high in CBD; Cannabis strains are grown to be high in THC and low in CBD. CBDs are therapeutic cannabinoids, while THC is the cannabinoid that makes you ‘high’. The THC content in marijuana is usually between 10 and 15 percent; but hemp must have a THC content of 0.3 percent or less to be legal in the United States. At this level, cannabis sativa as hemp has no intoxicating effect for people or dogs.
Hemp Oil for Dogs Benefits
CBD possesses amazing healing properties due to its action on the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), which is present throughout the body in all animals. When the endocannabinoid system is functioning properly, the body is better able to perpetuate a state of balance and preserve homeostasis.
This innate adaptive response optimizes and ensures the over-all health and well-being of your furry four-legged friends.
Hemp Oil for Dogs with Arthritis
Just like other herbal medicines, CBD Oil for dog’s pain may not show an immediate effect on your pet’s symptoms or health challenges. That means you must be patient when giving CBD to your dog for the first time. Some dogs can experience almost immediate relief from pain or show signs of improvement within a few hours while others may take additional time to fully demonstrate signs of improvement. Just the same, go low and go slow with your starting CBD dosage.
More complicated canine symptoms like inflammation from arthritis and complex neurological conditions like epilepsy, endocrine disorders like diabetes and canine separation anxiety can take several days to several weeks or longer for any noticeable improvement to be seen. Nevertheless, you can rest assure that CBD pet products from hemp (that do not contain THC) will not make your pet “high” and the only reported side effect of excessive CBD dosage for pets is drowsiness.
Hemp Oil for Dogs with Cancer
There is mounting evidence that cannabinoids (THC and CBD) may represent a new class of anticancer drugs that retard cancer growth and inhibit angiogenesis. While conventional chemotherapy drugs are highly toxic and indiscriminately damage cells in the body and brain; by contrast, THC slows tumor growth in certain cancers by significantly reducing the ability of cancer to spread. THC selectively targets and destroys tumor cells while leaving healthy cells unscathed.
Cannabidiol has been found to have anti-tumor effects. CBD has even been shown to stop cancer cells from growing and increased tumor cell death. Empirical evidence shows that dogs treated with cannabis demonstrate a faster healing rate with tumor size reduction within a very short time–sometimes just weeks–with very small quantities of these natural plant phytonutrients.
Hemp Oil for Seizures in Dogs
According to research, CBD shows not only anticonvulsant activity, but it also limits seizure duration. CBD has been shown to work well in treatment-resistant epilepsy (TRE) Results from an uncontrolled study support anecdotal reports showing that CBD may be a promising treatment for TRE, and it is generally well-tolerated.
Hemp Oil for Dog Anxiety
An accumulating body of evidence from clinical experiments show that CBD has strong anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties and is well-tolerated by dogs with symptoms of severe anxiety disorders. Several studies have been conducted that establish the efficacy of CBD in improving the destructive behaviors of canine separation anxiety disorder. If your dog suffers from separation anxiety or behavioral issues like social interaction disorders, depression or noise phobias, CBD may bring them immediate and long-term relief.
Hemp Oil for Dog Allergies
CBD has been shown to decrease the production and release of inflammatory cytokines that can cause allergies, hypersensitivities and autoimmunity disorders. CBD has also been shown to decrease the impact of inflammation and oxidative stress involved with premature aging and cognitive degeneration. Studies show CBD inhibits the production of inflammatory macrophages and decreases chronic inflammation in canine hip dysplasia, arthritis & auto-immune disorders.
Side Effects from Hemp Oil
What Are the Risks Associated with CBD?
There is no risk of toxicity at any dosage level of CBD oil for humans nor dogs. In the opinion of most researchers and animal experts there are no significant adverse side effects either. To most canine recipients, CBD oil in smaller doses is calming; for others, CBD can work as a mild stimulant over short periods.
What would appear to be a paradoxical reaction is in fact the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) moving towards a more balanced, harmonious state.
Hemp Oil as Canine Preventative Medicine
The conventional veterinary community views “preventive care” as spaying/neutering (the earlier, the better in most cases), annual vaccinations (and re-vaccinations), and parasite control using drugs and harsh chemicals. Many conventional vets firmly believe they are the ones who should be in charge in this area controlling what dog owners should do dictated almost exclusively by pharmaceutical prescriptions, all without question or dispute.
However, in stark contrast to the ‘drugs first’ veterinary point of view, pet parents rightfully believe effective preventive care involves being pro-active in their animal companion’s emotional well-being with proper exercise, nutrition & meal planning, as well as adequate play time that best suits their particular pet; all in addition to annual veterinary checkups.
These insightful, sensitive dog owners also believe they are the ones responsible for providing these essentials to their pet and are choosing CBD as an alternative to traditional veterinary care–especially if that treatment provides better medical outcomes. Using CBD to prevent chronic inflammation and perhaps the growth of lymphoma in dogs is a proactive step to keep your pet healthy throughout its entire life.
Dog Hemp Oil – The Future of Holistic Canine Medicine
Pet parents realize the typical traditional one-size-fits-all approach to their pet’s health has significant limitations and can sometimes do more harm than good. Especially when alternative or nontoxic options like CBD are available but not discussed or are even dismissed outright without consideration. It’s easy to see how loving pet parents can naturally lose trust in the traditional old-school animal care process when more effective surrogate treatment is available.
More veterinarians need to reject the old, outdated notion of doctor-centered care and instead embrace this new breed of pet parents with open arms and be willing to help their clients understand the value of a proactive approach to keeping their pets happy and healthy throughout their entire lives.
Proactive medicine strives to identity potential health obstacles before disease occurs and intentionally creates wellness through wise lifestyle choices, the exact opposite of today’s reactive medicine pet care model. Prevention is still the best medicine.
The importance of proactive, preventative health care can help your dog live a long, vibrant life and CBD as a daily dietary supplement or even a topical paw balm can be looked upon as an integral part of keeping your dog’s basic physiology and emotional makeup in tip top form.
In addition to supplementing your dog’s diet with CBD, the key to creating a balanced endocannabinoid system are to avoid overuse of drugs like antibiotics, steroids, chemical pest repellents and parasite preventives. The more toxins build up in your pet’s body, the less effective the immune system will be and the more likely your dog will be to present with age related inflammatory conditions.
This is especially important if your pet is getting up in years. Dogs are very good at hiding illness and pain, so it’s not a good idea to wait until there seems to be a problem before you intervene.
CBD from hemp is, in essence, a food with very beneficial effects on canine health. As such, it should be considered as just one of the many components to your dog’s total daily wellness regimen–like proper diet, exercise and behavior training.
The safety profile and superior medicinal benefits make full spectrum CBD hemp oil an excellent starting point to provide proactive preventative care for dogs throughout their entire life.
Curtis has been passionate about the health and welfare of animals since his first dog rescue.
After studying Sports Medicine & Biology at the University of Oregon, Curtis went on to excel in a career of Clinical Nutrition, later owning a health care supplement company serving private-practice physicians.
Known for his expansive knowledge of natural health and alternative medicine, Curtis believes that natural plant-based therapies can be applied to veterinary animal care which led him to study the science of Cannabinoid Medicine. His expertise in Functional Medicine led him to formulate a unique hemp-based canine care product, Canine Support Formula, fulfilling a dream to combine natural pet-care strategies with the new therapeutic potential of medical cannabis.
In reverence for his own dog, Parker, Curtis has dedicated his company–K9 Medibles–to improving the health and longevity of all dogs.
To learn more about Curtis and how K9 Medibles can help your dog, click HERE.