Does your dog or cat have separation anxiety? Do they get car sick? Are they scared during thunderstorms or the 4th of July? Will CBD help them?
Yes! CBD works for vertebrates which are people or animals that have a spinal column. This includes fish although I doubt they get carsick or seasick. They all have endocannabinoids systems so they all receive the anti-inflammatory, pain relief, nausea prevention, stress-reducing, and neurological benefits of CBD.
Just like with people, CBD will help reduce your pet’s pain from inflammation and arthritis. It will help with their nausea when riding in a car. And it will help with emotional issues like separation anxiety and thunderstorms because it also helps their bodies release serotonin allowing them to relax and feel better. It can also be used topically on hot spots, allergies, or wounds.
Question 1 – Can I give my pet human CBD?
Yes. There is no such thing as animal CBD. It’s just CBD.
Question 2 – What should the actual dose be?
Typically 25-75 mg daily is a good start since doses will vary based on size, issues, metabolism, etc. Saturate a treat that will absorb CBD tincture oil and that they will eat unless you can get them to hold it under their tongue! Will a CBD gummy work? Yes, BUT they typically don’t contain enough CBD for people or animals.
Question 3 – I see pet CBD tinctures that are 100-200 mg CBD/ounce for cats and 300-400mg CBD/ounce for dogs. Is this enough? Not especially if your pet is dealing with real pain, inflammation, or anxiety. Most CBD product manufacturers don’t offer much CBD in their products yet still charge a high price.
Question 4 – My dog or cat is small. Should I give them less CBD? Not always. Here’s why. The amount of time for CBD blood levels to drop by ½ is 2 hours for a cat and 4 hours for a dog. This is called medicine’s half-life. This means if you give your dog CBD at 7:00 am by 11:00 am
there’s half the amount in their bloodstream. And by 3:00 pm that concentration is cut in half again to ¼ and then by 7:00 pm that concentration is again cut in half to 1/8 the original dose.
You can quickly see that if we’re trying to treat an animal (or person) for pain, inflammation, anxiety, or neurological issues we need a potent product or we have to give them a weaker product more often which can be costly and inconvenient. The half-life of CBD in people is 18-
30 hours and the benefits can even last an extra day or two if a dose is missed. But CBD is still much more effective when potent and when taken regularly.
Feel confident adjusting your pet’s doses and observing their behavior, movement, and demeanor. Also, remember you can rub or massage the CBD oil on the front of their ears where there is less hair. The CBD will be absorbed through their skin like a mucus membrane. GW Pharma, the company that makes Epidiolex for kids, sells a 10,000 mg CBD monthly tincture to children with epilepsy. It only costs about $2700 a month! CBD has an incredible safety record. If your pet is suffering give them a chance to feel better and be happier.