6 Things To Remember Before Giving Cannabis Products to Your Pets

Since 2016, two studies were completed by Dr. Stephanie McGrath. She is a neurologist and assistant professor in Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, about the effects of cannabis to dogs and how it can be beneficial to them.

Marijuana, although considered as a schedule 1 drug by the federal government, is said to be beneficial to dogs, cats, and even horses that are suffering from chronic pain like arthritis and could prevent autoimmune diseases. Aside from that, there are also pet-owners who claim that using marijuana for their pets who are suffering from cancer had positive results like an increase in appetite. It even seemed to reduce their pet’s anxiety.

Although a lot of pet owners claim that marijuana is indeed beneficial to their sick pets, it’s still believed by a lot of vets that marijuana is considered a toxic plant. Improper usage or too much use of this plant could result in severe depression, hyperactivity, low heart rate, and even a coma.

Cannabis for Your Pet: New Platform in CBD

You’ve heard of cannabis for people, but did you know about using CBD for your pet? When your pet needs relief from an ailment, using CBD oil for dogs may not your first thought. But, times are changing, and cannabis is becoming a great way to treat the ailments your dog may have. Pet care has become a large area pet owners invest in, making $15.42 billion back in 2016 and continuing to increase. Put your money to good use to buy your dog the treatment it needs.

How Cannabis Can Help Your Dog

CBD, a cannabis compound, has significant medical benefits. It gives the benefits of marijuana, but without being psychoactive. Dog owners are using cannabis to help their pets with a wide range of ailments, helping with both chronic and acute diseases. It helps with arthritis, a compromised immune system, aggression, digestive issues, and even cancer. It is also found that it can also be useful to treat acute ailments such as sprains, torn ligaments, and broken bones.

Life-threatening risks for dogs from cannabis are extremely rare. The correct dosage is important though to properly treat your dog. If dosed properly, your dog will receive the positive effects that you are looking to achieve.

Conventional Drugs vs. Cannabis

Conventional drugs need to be used in large doses. CBD makes it possible to lower doses of drugs to achieve the therapeutic effects. Conventional drugs are known to have many side effects, so it is beneficial to use CBD to counteract or take away negative side effects.

Not all conventional drugs are able to treat your dogs’ ailments and make them more comfortable. That is why dog owners have been looking for a better solution that will ease the pain their dog has. They have found the solution in cannabis.

Survey Study

A survey published in the Journal of American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association found that out of 632 people, 72% reported using a cannabis product for their dog. More and more, dog owners are looking for better resources that will help the ailments their dog has. Dog owners can begin to relax as CBD products for dogs are becoming more available to owners.

Cannabis for dogs is nothing new. It has been around for a number of years, but not many dog owners know about it and the benefits that come with it. Put your money in where it matters for your dog to live its best life.

What to Keep in Mind When Giving Cannabis Products to Your Pets

The use of cannabis products on pets still needs more studying and that’s the reason why vets don’t quickly resort to discussing this to the owners of their patients, aside from the federal law not allowing them in some states.

It will always be up to the owner whether they would want to treat their pets using cannabis products but here are 6 things to keep mind before doing so.

1. Marijuana Effects Vary between a Human and Animal

Marijuana is already widely used for medicinal purposes in humans. However there are a lot of studies made for this to be easily accepted by the doctors and the public.

If the owner himself is a marijuana user or the pet owner knows someone who is, it shouldn’t mean that the same product should be used to treat their pets. Cannabis products for humans are different from what you can give to your pets.

Giving your pet a CBD product is a trial-and-error treatment administration. If it’s the first time you’ll use this on your pet, make sure you only give a small amount and the cannabis product should fit your pet’s needs.

2. Do Not Let Your Pet Take Cannabis for Humans

As mentioned on the first item, the cannabis for humans and for pets are different. The cannabis used for humans contains THC levels that will not work with and is even harmful to your pets.

The cannabis made for pets basically have zero THC and is heavy on CBD (Cannabidiol), which contains the beneficial components of marijuana. This is what’s used to help your pets feel less pain or regain their liveliness and appetite.

3. Not All Veterinarian Will Talk About This

If you’re planning on consulting a vet for this purpose, you have to take note that not all of them will point you to the benefits of using Cannabidiol products to your pets. In many states, vets are even prohibited from discussing this. Their licenses would be at stake for doing so.

In states like California where the use of marijuana is already legal, vets are pushing for marijuana to be compassionately used on animals like how it is to humans. As of now, the bill is already good with the Senate, but it still hasn’t been passed and signed by the governor.

What’s unsatisfying about the veterinarians’ take on giving your pets Cannaidiol products is that they have nothing solid to say about it.

4. Hemp-based Treatment Can Already Work

It’s not really suggested to let your pets smell the smoke of marijuana or have them eat the plant itself. It can lead to various complications and so an alternative is to get a cannabis product that does the job without getting your pet high.

Hemp-based products are high in CBD which is the compound found in cannabis that caters to the medical use of marijuana. It has less than one percent THC so it won’t get your pets high.

There are companies that sell CBD oil. By USA law, CBD and hemp can only contain 0.3% of THC and so this wouldn’t cost much harm to your pets. Just remember that CBD oil laws vary and it may not be legal in your state.

5. Remember to Read the Ingredients and Components of the Cannabis Product You’ll Use

Surprisingly, there are already a lot of different CBD products available for you to get for your pets. This is a growing industry, particularly in states where this is already legal.

There are a few things you should consider when choosing the right product. Think of how you shop for food. Apply the same thinking when choosing what’s best for your pet.

Always research the farming method used while growing the cannabis used for the products. As much as possible, stay away from it if pesticides are used. It’s also good to know how the extraction was done and the percentage of CBD it has.

Just always make sure that the product you are getting has a certification of analysis and to check the weight requirement on the label of the product. This will help you determine how much you should be giving your pet.

6. The Warning Signs That Your Pets are Not Good for Cannabis Products

When purchasing CBD, suggested dosage should be included on its label. But of course, it will still be up to you to increase or decrease the dosage. If you feel the tolerance has gone up, take a tolerance break.

Usually, you can start with the least amount and gradually increase your pet’s intake. Take a close look at how your pet is reacting towards it.

If your pet displays any complications such as vomiting, seizures, low heart rate, dry mouth, tremors, drowsiness, and lightheadedness, then you should immediately stop and bring your pet to a vet. This just means that the intake is becoming toxic and your pet isn’t taking the treatment well.

The Bottom Line

Considering to give your pets CBD products mean that you want them to feel better if they are sick so this means that you are concerned about their safety. If you have your own stash and CBD products in your home, always make sure that your pets won’t get to it to avoid trips the ER.

Researching and learning more about the product you want to get is always the best thing you can do before administering this treatment to your pets. While more studies should be done to prove how beneficial CBD products really are to your pets, you can still make this safe if you keep the mentioned things above in mind.