You’ve probably been hearing a lot about CBD lately, and many of your friends might be giving CBD supplements to their dogs. You’re also probably asking the question that you would ask whenever you are considering giving your dog any new medication or supplement. Is it safe? What are the side effects of CBD oil for dogs? Read on to determine whether CBD is right for your dog.
The Side Effects of CBD Oil For Dogs: CBD Is Safe
CBD is safe. It is non-toxic, so it won’t harm your pet. The biggest misconception about any CBD product—human or animal—is that CBD can make your dog high. It cannot, and your dog cannot overdose on CBD. CBD is not a psychoactive compound like THC is. In fact, CBD is non-psychoactive, so your pet can take it with no adverse side effects. CBD gives all the benefits without the side effects that THC, the hallucinogenic compound cannabis, is known for.
The Side Effects of CBD Oil For Dogs: Why Hemp?
The CBD in all MediPets treats is derived from high-quality hemp oil. We use hemp because the plant is naturally high in CBD but only has trace amounts of THC. Our oil extraction and manufacturing processes ensure that any remaining trace THC is removed, leaving our final products 100 percent THC-free.
All of our MediPets products are derived from hemp, a crop which is much easier and faster to grow than marijuana, and that uses less water and resists pests. Growers have bred hemp to produce even higher yields of CBD, leading to better oil products like MediPets. CBD derived from hemp is legal in all 50 states for both human and animal products, so you don’t have to worry about any legal issues.
The Side Effects of CBD Oil For Dogs: Why CBD?
More and more people are adding specially formulated CBD oil products like Medipets to their dog’s daily health routine. Just like humans, animals also have an endocannabinoid system, so they can also benefit from cannabinoids like CBD (cannabidiol).
All mammals, whether two-legged or four-legged, have endocannabinoid systems. Although CBD is a phytocannabinoid (plant cannabinoid), research has shown that it binds with the human or canine endocannabinoid receptors to ensure the body stays in homeostasis (balance). In addition to binding with these receptors, CBD is also an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
Research is emerging every day to show that CBD may greatly improve things like pain and anxiety. In fact, holistic veterinarians across the country use CBD in their practices to treat joint stiffness, pain, arthritis and anxiety. CBD may help your dog with phobias and fears like storm anxiety or separation anxiety. Holistic vets are also using CBD to increase a dog’s appetite, and CBD can also help heal skin rashes and other problems with the dog’s coat.
The Side Effects of CBD Oil For Dogs
There are no serious side effects that your dog can suffer from taking CBD. However, there are some minor side effects to be aware of:
- Drug metabolism: High doses of CBD can affect liver metabolism and therefore change the way the dog’s body metabolizes medication. CBD has been shown to inhibit the production of certain liver enzymes that break down medications so that they can be absorbed by the body. This could interfere with how your dog metabolizes certain drugs. If your dog takes medication, talk to your vet about adding CBD to the pet’s daily regimen.
- Drowsiness: CBD is often used to treat anxiety and panic attacks in dogs, so naturally it has a calming effect. For some dogs, it can be very calming, and they might experience drowsiness. Yes, your dog might actually sleep more than he does now! Hard to fathom, right? But it might happen.
- Dry mouth: Some dogs might experience dry mouth because CBD can affect saliva production. If you notice your dog drinking more water, this may explain it.
- Lower blood pressure: High doses of CBD can temporarily decrease blood pressure. This shouldn’t be an issue for your pet, but your pet might feel a bit light-headed.
These potential side effects are very minor. Some pet owners feel that these side effects pale in comparison to the side effects their pets suffer from being on medications that can cause liver damage and other severe symptoms. For example, pets that have seizures often take very strong medications with severe side effects. Just like in humans, these medications don’t work on a sizeable group of patients. The FDA just approved the first CBD-based seizure drug for humans (Epidiolex), so clearly CBD is effective. Many pet owners have also turned to CBD as a natural way to help control pet seizures.
The Side Effects of CBD Oil For Dogs: Dosing
You should always use a CBD product like MediPets that is specially formulated for pets and not humans. CBD oils formulated for humans and pets are different, and you should never try human CBD oil on a pet.
MediPets CBD treats are meant for supplemental intermittent feeding, but you should always discuss any dietary modifications with your vet first. Our labels have specific instructions regarding how many treats to give your pet in a certain amount of time. In other words, these are not your typical treat. If your dog performs a trick 20 times in a row, don’t give him 20 MediPets treats! Our products are formulated for small, medium and large dogs and contain the perfect amount of CBD for every size.
Dosing is important. Animals definitely metabolize substances differently than humans, so understanding dosage is crucial. It may take a few hours for your pet to metabolize the CBD to the point where notice any effects. Dosing will, of course, depend on the size and weight of the pet. With CBD, start small and see how your pet does, then work your way up to a higher dose if needed. We have a whole line of MediPets products for you to try—oils, capsules, and treats.
Best of all, our treats are a veritable meat rainbow for your dog—turkey, bacon, liver, chicken, steak, salmon—we’ve got all the flavors. Some of our treats even include peas and blueberries, for the four-legged vegetable and fruit lovers out there.
The Side Effects of CBD Oil For Dogs: Choosing the Right Product
Not all CBD oils are the same; the market is saturated with products, so it can be overwhelming to try to choose the right product. Here are a few things to keep in mind. First, you want a CBD oil derived from hemp, like MediPets. Second, you want the hemp to be organic because that means it will be free of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. Third, you want a pure, high-quality oil that contains the amount of CBD indicated by the label. Medipets meets all of these criteria. We even provide independent third-party lab analysis of all of our products to ensure the amount of CBD is what you’re actually getting in the product.
The Side Effects of CBD Oil For Dogs: Give CBD A Try
Many pet owners have been thrilled with the results they’ve gotten with CBD, so they’ve added it to their dog’s daily health routines. Whether you have a puppy suffering from separation anxiety, or a senior dog with arthritis, CBD can potentially help all ages and sizes of dogs with the ailments they suffer from. Why not give CBD oil a try for your pet? You owe it to your pet to at least try Medipets CBD for a trial to see if it makes a difference.
Gave my dog four drops of hemp oil at 3:30 pm and she has been sleeping all day ,is this normal. It’s now 11:00 pm