Pros and Cons of CBD for Dogs

We all want our dogs to live a good long, happy and healthy life. Learning more about the pros and cons of CBD for dogs as a natural remedy can help determine if it is the right path for your pet. There is nothing worse than seeing your dog experience pain as he or she ages. While there is limited research on the ability of CBD to treat our pets we can be relatively certain it has some efficacy as they have an Endocannabinoid System just like we do.

So, what exactly is the Endocannabinoid System? It is a network of receptors, cannabinoids, and enzymes that all work together to regulate many of our body’s essential functions. Our body usually makes its own endocannabinoids but as we age or if we are unwell things can get out of sync and our body no longer make enough. CBD can supplement these essential cannabinoids as the body’s receptors accept the cannabinoids in CBD as a source of fuel.

CBD has been shown to slow the inflammatory response that the body experiences to age, arthritis, injuries, and disease. It can also be effective in reducing the amount of pain we experience. CBD does this by calming the body’s response.

The Cost of Pet CBD

CBD does not have to be expensive, a 1,000mg bottle of Broad or Full Spectrum CBD should cost you anywhere between $40 – $75 and would last around 2 months for a dog that weighs 20 pounds.

This means it can be a cost effective natural treatment for many ailments as it has very few side effects. It has shown to be quite effective in combatting seizures with much less risk of liver damage and side effects from traditional pharmaceuticals.

Pros and Cons of CBD for Dogs

Signs/Symptoms

You will know the CBD is working for pain and inflammation if your dog has more energy and is able to move around more freely.

If your dog is overly tired, cut back on the dosage. Alternatively, you could give your dog Broad Spectrum CBD (No THC) in the morning and Full Spectrum CBD (0.3% THC) at night.

If your dog is overly thirsty ensure he has plenty of fresh clean water to drink. This may mean making extra water available as well as access to go potty.

If your dog seems disorientated or confused discontinue CBD immediately.

Always consult with your vet before giving CBD to your dog if your dog is already on medication. Do not discontinue medications without consulting a vet.

Every dog, just as every human, is different so what may work for us may not work for someone else. Be patient. Don’t expect overnight results. Instead, have a treatment plan of a couple of weeks and review the outcome then.

Determining the Proper Amount of Pet CBD:

2mg – 5mg per every 10 lbs of dog weight is a good dosage for post pets. We also have an easy to use Pet CBD calculator to help determine the optimal amount of CBD oil to give your dog based on their weight and strength of the tincture.

Eg… a 50 pound dog would receive a dosage between 10mg – 25mg.

Start the dosage at the lower end, and gradually increases the dosage after the first 3-5 days if needed.

Quite high dosages of CBD can be tolerated with few side effects. In fact, clinical trials have shown that a dosage of 1500mg per day in human trials was quite well tolerated.

As more information becomes available on clinical trials in pets we will keep you all updated on our blog.