Revolutionizing Pet Care with CBD
Of all the supplements that we sell, CBD Oil has the highest repeat purchase rate. The reason is simple. Our customers (well their pets) have and are experiencing positive results.
Our Black Lab Oliver started to have issues with doing stairs and jumping on our bed at night (yes, he slept with us). We started to dose him daily with CBD Oil and within about 5 or 6 days we noticed him doing the stairs with ease and a less hesitant motion when jumping on our bed.
So, we want to share what we have learned and provide you with the ins and outs of giving our pets CBD Oil.
THIS IS WHAT WE WILL COVER
WHAT IS CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring compound found in both the cannabis sativa L plant and hemp plants.
Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found only in cannabis (marijuana), CBD does not produce any psychoactive effect, making it appealing for therapeutic use in animals and humans alike. It won’t get your furry friend “high”. In fact, Cannabis contains an impressive array of potentially beneficial compounds, including 120 Phyto cannabinoids and at least 445 additional phytochemicals, such as terpenoids, flavonoids and sterols.
Note: Hemp Oil and CBD Oil are not the same thing. Hemp Oil is extracted from the hemp seed and does not contain cannabidiol.
There are different types of CBD oil, so it’s helpful to know about the differences between them:
HOW DOES CBD WORK? WHAT DOES IT DO?
This is where it can get complicated and there is still a lot that scientists and researchers are learning each day about the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). I am going to try to simplify it the best I can to try and give you a clear picture of what goes on when using CBD.
Consider the ECS as a gateway and communicator to a series of processes like appetite, digestion, chronic pain, inflammation, mood, learning and memory, motor control, sleep, stress, skin, and nerve function just to name a few. The main objective of our ECS is to maintain homeostasis. When some outside force causes pain or fever and takes the body out of homeostasis, the ECS kicks in to help the body return to its ideal operation. So how does adding CBD to the body help? CBD helps activate and allows the ECS to work at its optimum giving the ECS the best chance at returning the body back to normal.
WHAT CAN CANNABIDIOL HELP?
Dogs with joint problems.
We have many customers (and our own personal experience) to help relieve the inflammation due to joint problems. Dogs who have arthritis, dysplasia, sprains, strains, and torn ligaments.
In fact, researchers at Cornell University found that dogs taking CBD for arthritis were more active and showed a decrease in pain.
High Anxiety dogs.
Anxiety appears in different forms, including noise, separation anxiety, aggression, and fear. One of our customers started to dose her adult Bernese Mountain Dog who had always been prone to car sickness. Within several days of dosing, they had their first “puke free” car ride and never looked back.
Dosing for anxiety is the top reason many of our customers use CBD for their dog. When a proper dosing is established and is dosed consistently over time, most of our customers have had tremendous success with CBD.
A 2012 study looked at stress in rats exposed to cats. The rats given repeated doses of CBD had less anxiety than those given a single dose.
Dogs with seizures and epilepsy.
Researchers at Colorado State University got excited when they studied CBD as a treatment for epilepsy in dogs. A whopping 89% of dogs that received the CBD had a reduction in seizures.
CBD reduces the frequency and severity of seizures because of how it interacts with the endocannabinoid system. It is believed that abnormal electric charges of the neurons in the nervous system cause seizures. But CBD can bind to receptors in the brain … researchers speculate this can improve the functioning of the nervous system.
We have had several customers experience a significant decrease in epileptic events. We even heard that when an event occurred, they were less severe and did not last as long. One specific customer applied the CBD Oil in the middle of an event and noticed the seizure stopped almost immediately and their dog returned to normal in little time.
Dogs with cancer.
Sadly, 50% of adult dogs will get cancer. Cancer is a massive health challenge for dogs, especially if they undergo chemotherapy or radiation.
Cancer researchers are always looking for new ways to treat cancer and release the pain and nausea that can go with it. And CBD has been extensively researched as a cancer-fighting substance.
A study in mice showed that CBD slowed the growth of mammary cancer cells. And in 2018, researchers found that CBD increased survival time in mice with pancreatic cancer. Other animal studies show CBD oil has cancer-fighting abilities and can slow the growth of tumors.
In another study, cancer cells became more sensitive to treatment with CBD. That means CBD can increase the effectiveness of conventional cancer treatments.
CBD also kills cancer cells by blocking their ability to produce energy. And it can stimulate the immune system to produce killer cells that cause death in cancer cells.
Researchers also found that CBD blocks a cannabinoid receptor called GPR55. This is important because GPR55 increased the growth rate of cancer cells in mice.
We have had two customers report back that used CBD Oil in the cancer treatment for their dogs. In both cases, tumour growth had either stopped and/or the tumour decreased in size. Both of these dogs were put on a strict keto diet developed specifically for their pet.
End of Life Care
While none of us want to think about it, for many of the reasons stated above, CBD oil can be very helpful for end-of-life care. The potential for pain relief, as well as the calming sensation, allows CBD to address many of the things that can cause discomfort for your animal when going through the end-of-life process.
There are so many other ailments and claims that have been made that CBD can help with. Too many to list here. Everything from allergies, skin issues, and more. At the end of the day, it is the immune system that needs help. So many things can negatively affect the immune system so I would not recommend CBD as a magic bullet to cure any ailment. I would consider it a strong partner in helping the immune system do its job.
DOSING AND USING CBD
The research is still occurring to establish effective dosing. by weight and ailment. There is some data available that has helped us establish a range of dosing based on weight of a dog. However, other variables like age, breed, lifestyle can determine your dosing regimen. All dogs’ systems are different and what might work for one dog weighing 50lb may not work for another. One may need twice as much daily compared to another of the same size.
Here are a few important things to try and do as you introduce CBD to your pet.
Maintenance.
Depending on what you’re using CBD for, you might use it once a week, once a day, or leading up to a specific event. If you use it daily, note that it likes to establish itself inside the body. Once you find that sweet spot for your pet, and maintain it for a bit, you may be able to reduce the amount as needed. This is because of something called reverse tolerance. Instead of developing a tolerance to CBD, the body works with the CBD, and so you often don’t need to keep on those higher amounts long-term.
Here is an example of some dosing ranges and product choice for different sized dogs. Remember, these are ranges and it may take some trial to find the sweet spot for your furry friend/
20lb Dog Choose Duo Sense Emma's Choice 750mg
Minimum Dose-1/5th of a dropper or 5mg of CBD
Average Dose-1/3rd of a dropper or 8mg of CBD
High Dose-2/3rd of a dropper or 16mg of CBD
50lb Dog Choose Duo Sense Emma's Choice 750mg
Minimum Dose-1/2 dropper or 12.5mg of CBD
Average Dose-1 dropper or 25mg of CBD
High Dose-2 droppers of 50mg of CBD
100lb Dog Choose Duo Sense Otto's Choice 1500mg
Minimum Dose-1/2 dropper or 25mg CBD
Average Dose-1 dropper or 50mg of CBD
High Dose-2 droppers of 100mg of CBD
SIDE EFFECTS AND CONTRA INDICATIONS?
If you give your pet too much CBD at once, you will see a very sleepy and lethargic dog/cat. We do not want that. (I personally take CBD for sleep, and it does not take long when I dose the way I do). If you dose at night and you notice a lethargic pet the next day, you will need to pull back and dose less.
If your dog is taking any other medications or supplements you will want to check with your holistic vet as well. CBD oil has many health benefits, but it can change how your dog metabolizes some medications or supplements.
A recent study by Colorado State University tested different CBD doses in dogs over a period of 36 weeks, finding that even the higher dose appeared safer. The study involved 18 healthy beagles divided into three groups. Each group had six dogs that got either no CBD, 5mg/kg of CBD or 10mg/kg of CBD with their food every day for 36 weeks. The dogs that got the higher 10mg/kg CBD dose got some loose stools, but other than that it appeared safer. All the dogs taking CBD did have higher levels of the ALP enzyme in their blood. This study was important to show that dogs can tolerate doses generally much higher than what most CBD products recommend. It is important to note that all of the dogs used are very healthy dogs, and the higher doses may not necessarily be as well-tolerated in dogs with any sort of illnesses or on any additional medications.
IN SUMMARY
We have been working with CBD Oil with our customers (and our own dog) for almost 10 years. In our view, it has been a game changer for most. CBD Oil is a safe, plant-based supplement that has the potential to help so many ailments and offer a solution to enhance the lives of our fur babies. Unlike steroids and NSAID’s, CBD Oil does not damage vital organs and shorten the lives of our pets. If you have not considered trying CBD, is it time to give it a go? We would love to help anyone who want to start. Stop by one of our shops and ask.
This information is intended to provide information only. Each animal health situation is unique. This information is not intended for use in diagnosis or treatment of specific health problems or diseases and should never be considered as a substitute for veterinary advice.