When it comes to current trends in canine health care, cannabidiol from hemp oil leads the pack.
Hemp oil for dogs has witnessed an explosion in popularity for dogs with anxiety and arthritis has expanded beyond the palliative care for dogs with cancer and may offer an effective treatment to forestall tumor growth.
With hemp-based products for pets growing in popularity, it’s important to understand what different hemp products are available and what are the proven health benefits hemp CBD oil can actually provide for our furry home companions.
Hemp For Dogs
As pet parents, it’s important to know what you’re putting into your dog’s body–which is why I believe our dogs should receive the same quality if not superior quality of nutritional health supplements we consume ourselves as humans.
When looking for alternative solutions to a wide variety of disorders your pet experiences, you might assume that CBD and hemp oil are the same thing.
But actually, CBD (Cannabidiol) and hemp seed oil have more than a few differences, starting from how they are derived, to which health benefits they may provide your pet.
Whether you’re on the search for a CBD product or a general hemp supplement for your pet, here’s a breakdown of the differences between HEMP OIL, HEMP SEED OIL & CBD Oil so you can decide which one you want to administer to support your pet’s specific condition.
What’s The Difference Between Hemp Oil & CBD Oil for Your Dog?
To understand the differences between HEMP OIL vs HEMP SEED OIL vs CBD OIL for pets, you need to start by understanding exactly what each of these substances are separately.
Hemp Oil Vs CBD Oil for Dogs
Hemp is a specific type of cannabis plant. The 2018 Farm Bill changed America’s federal laws to recognize hemp as different from other cannabis plants, such as the marijuana cannabis plant, which is high in the psychoactive compound Delta-9 THC or tetrahydrocannabinol.
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).
Although hemp plants and marijuana plants are both the same Cannabis Sativa species, they have very distinct botanical & phytochemical compositions.
Generally, hemp is low in THC and high in CBD; while Cannabis is grown to be high in THC and low in CBD. In the agricultural sense, hemp grows tall, fast and with plenty of stalk–similar to bamboo. Cannabis is a more bush level, full plant with emphasis on growing flowers.
Unlike marijuana, industrial hemp cannot contain more than 0.3 percent THC, meaning any derivations from the industrial hemp plant is non-psychoactive and won’t get your pet high.
What Is Hemp Oil?
Hemp oil is extracted from the leaves, stalks, and flowers of the hemp plant. These parts of the hemp plant are rich in cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids, along with whole plant phytonutrients including terpenes, flavonoids that also have medicinal properties.
As whole-plant extracts, hemp derived products containing cannabinoids will interact with your dog’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS), thus exerting a much wider specter of health benefits for our canine companions.
What Is Hemp Seed Oil?
Like hemp oil, hemp seed oil is derived, not surprisingly, from the seeds of the hemp plant.
However, the difference between hemp oil and hemp SEED oil is that hemp seed oil comes from the hemp seed, not the hemp plant flowers and leaves where cannabinoids reside.
Because the seeds do not contain cannabinoids, the oil extracted (pressed) from hemp seeds will not interact with your dog’s the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and therefore you lose the phytochemical influence that CBD contributes to correcting so many canine disorders.
To be clear, HEMP SEED OIL contains NO measurable amount of CBD.
So, being that hemp seed oil contains no active cannabinoids, the healing properties & health benefits associated with CBD are not present in hemp seed oil. Those properties are only found in the cannabis/ hemp flower, and to some extent, the leaf.
Is Hemp Seed Oil Good for Dogs?
While Hemp seed oil doesn’t offer the same array of therapeutic benefits as CBD oil, it still provides some hi-value natural wellness support.
Hemp seed oil extracted directly from the seeds of hemp plants is chock full of Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Omega-9, GLA (gamma linolenic acid), and a collection of healthy proteins and amino acids that are beneficial for your dog.
Hemp seeds are also a great dietary source for easily digestible essential amino acids and antioxidants to help dogs with allergy and GI issues.
Much like coconut oil, or flaxseed oil, hemp seed oil is considered a brilliant nutritional supplement high in omega-6 and omega-3, which are essential fatty acids great for your dog’s skin and coat as well as being a great source of protein.
What Is the Best CBD Oil for Dogs?
As you’ve seen, products and extracts made from the hemp plant can be very nutritious and therapeutic for your dog. But what is the best CBD hemp oil for your dog?
When looking at alternative medicines and supplements derived from the hemp plant with the intention of relieving your dog’s pain, improving mobility or assisting in post-surgical recovery, the best CBD oil for dogs is a full spectrum oil extracted without toxic distillates.
The distinction between hemp seed oil and CBD hemp oil (containing therapeutic cannabinoids) becomes even more clear when you consider that the majority of canine diseases begin with uncontrolled inflammation.
Degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis, canine joint disease & allergic dermatitis all begin with unchecked inflammation.
By giving your dog all-natural, full spectrum CBD oil that contains all of the original plant phytonutrients, vitamins and cannabinoids is the best way to prevent inflammation and reduce the associated pain.
CBD Oil for Dogs – Buyer Beware!
With CBD oil and hemp products on the rise, many consumers are coming to understand its potential health benefits for their companion pets, frequently opting for this natural alternative rather than pharmaceuticals–But buyer beware that Hemp CBD Oil and Hemp Seed Oil are known by more than one label name.
CBD product manufacturers will list ingredients that may include references to “full-spectrum”, “broad-spectrum” (oil with undetectable THC), “isolate”, “cannabidiol”, or just “CBD.” Any of these ingredients is an indication that the product is made with CBD and not simply hemp seed oil.
To avoid further confusion, note that sometimes hemp CBD oil can be labeled as PCR hemp oil which stands for ‘Phyto-Cannabinoid-Rich-Hemp-Oil’.
These terms may seem interchangeable, so be sure to request a third-party laboratory analysis (COA) to determine exactly what is in the hemp-based product you intend to give to your dog.
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.