CBD for Animals: Treats vs. Oil

 Cannabinoids - known under the abbreviation CBD - are substances that provide humans and animals with a number of benefits in solving various health problems. They are extracted from the hemp plant and act as strong antioxidants in the body, which affect the overall balance and function of vital systems, such as the central nervous system, metabolism, motor functions or pain perception. They are also attributed with an anti-inflammatory effect.

CBD preparations are therefore used as an effective remedy for several health problems that our pets may suffer from. At the same time , they provide relief from pain and difficulties caused by serious diseases that cannot be cured by modern medicine.

For which problems is it appropriate to administer CBD to an animal?

One of the extremely common, but at the same time very unpleasant afflictions of our dogs and cats (and therefore also of us) is separation anxiety . Our pets suffer from separation anxiety when they are left alone at home. We suffer in the same way when we know how stressed they are, and when we return home, we suffer again which part of the equipment of our home we find destroyed. A similar topic is stress from noise, most often from storms or fireworks .

If your animal friend suffers from one of these problems, CBD can greatly help them. A large study from 2019, in which hundreds of veterinarians in the USA were involved, demonstrated the significant calming effect of CBD on noise anxiety or stress in dogs.

Among other things, the aforementioned research demonstrated the high effectiveness of CBD even in the case of relieving acute or chronic pain . At the same time, this also means significant relief from the suffering of serious diseases that we currently consider incurable. One of them is arthritis - an inflammatory degenerative joint disease that affects about 20% of dogs. Likewise, CBD can help manage other diseases of the locomotor system, pain in the bones, joints or teeth , which often cause increased nervousness in four-legged pets.

The effect of cannabinoids is also undeniable in the case of epilepsy . According to a study published in the scientific journal Lancet, the use of CBD in humans leads to a milder course of seizures, or to their lesser occurrence. Experts assume that CBD has a similar effect in dogs or cats with epilepsy.

Tumors cause great pain and suffering to our pets. Although it must be emphasized on the one hand that CBD cannot cure your four-legged friend from cancer, they can significantly relieve accompanying pain or spasms , restore appetite or improve sleep.

In what form should CBD be administered to animals?

As for humans, the market offers CBD in several forms for animals. However, when choosing, you should take into account not only which will be the most acceptable for the picky taste buds of your furry friend. More important are the health benefits and especially the effectiveness of the preparation.

Due to their absorbability, ointments or creams are especially suitable for recuperation of local skin problems. They will thus help in the case of some skin diseases or in the healing of wounds .

CBD treats vs. CBD oil

The taste buds of our four-legged pets can be quite unpredictable. We humans can swallow anything for our own good. But our dogs and cats simply turn up their noses at something that doesn't smell good to them. Therefore, there is a logical option - to reach for CBD preparations processed in the form of granules or chewable treats.

However, the first choice should definitely be CBD oil. And this especially with regard to the flexibility of adjusting the dosage , but also the exact setting of the dose itself. This is especially important for smaller animals, where we dose CBD really carefully. Another important argument is the efficiency of CBD absorption into the body, which is indisputably the best with CBD oil. It is related to the so-called bioavailability , which we discuss in more detail in the article on the correct dosage of CBD.

So, if your dog or cat refuses CBD oil given directly from the dropper into the mouth, there is always a proven trick of experienced breeders - hide CBD in their favorite food or treat .

Is human CBD oil suitable for animals?

The answer is simple: Absolutely yes . However, be demanding when choosing and make sure that the product meets such quality criteria that it will not harm your pet in any way.

Animals and CBD: safety and dosage

In the beginning, we mentioned that CBD is obtained by extraction from the hemp plant. This naturally leads one to question whether it can cause problems with consciousness and perception in animals. It should be noted that CBD - unlike THC - does not have psychoactive effects and, according to the World Health Organization, it does not have negative effects on human or animal health . Only mild side effects such as dry mouth, drowsiness, low blood pressure or diarrhea may occur.

CBD oils are therefore safe for our pets, but it is necessary to be careful about the correct dosage. This depends on the body weight of a particular individual.

When using CBD oils in humans and animals, the golden rule applies: We start with a smaller dose and gradually increase it. For animals, we add another golden rule: 1 milligram of CBD for every 4 kilograms of body weight.

Small dogs and cats are therefore initially given 0.5 mg of CBD, the medium dose for them is 1 mg of CBD and the higher dose is 3 mg. In contrast, large dogs, weighing more than 40 kilograms, start with a dose of 10 mg, the middle dose is 30 mg, and the higher dose is up to 50 mg of CBD.

You can read more about the dosage of CBD for your animal in this article , in which you will also find a handy tool for calculating the ideal dose according to individual weight.