As a holistic veterinarian, one of the most common questions I get from my pet parents is about CBD.
There are constant news stories on how CBD cured seizures, cured cancer, or helped someone’s anxiety.
Of course hearing all of these success stories will naturally make someone want to use it on their pets. So how does this translate over to our pet’s health and helping their ailments?
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring compound found in the resinous flower of cannabis. There are about 100 cannabinoids present in the plant, and the two most common are the CBD and THC molecules.
CBD is the non-psychoactive molecule, and THC is the psychoactive molecule that gives people their “high”. The psychoactive effect of THC comes from the way it binds with receptors in the brain, which are known as endocannabinoids.
CBD also interacts with these receptors but does not directly bind with them, which is why you do not get “high” from CBD alone.
All mammals (any animal with a backbone) have an endocannabinoid system. This system plays a crucial role in regulating a broad range of physiological processes in the body.
There are two receptors present that are affected by THC and CBD. CB1 receptors are present in the central nervous system. CB2 receptors are present in the peripheral nervous system, immune and lymphatic systems.
We can use different ratios of THC and CBD to affect different organ systems based on how they interact with these two different receptors, which is pretty amazing! The endocannabinoid system needs to be in balance, or in homeostasis, otherwise disease results.
Common Conditions for CBD Usage
Some of the common conditions CBD is being used for include:
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety
- Seizure control
- Gastrointestinal disease, like IBD
- Cancer
We are finally starting to see research coming from universities on pets to show how CBD can help osteoarthritis and seizures. Unfortunately due to federal law, veterinarians are still not allowed to prescribe or recommend it.
In Colorado, we can help with harm reduction though, so if a client brings up CBD to the veterinarian, we can discuss it openly and honestly. So make sure your vet knows if you are using it on your pet and if they disagree or do not know enough, find someone who can help you!
If you want to learn more on how to use other natural remedies alongside CBD for anxiety, click here.
How To Use CBD In Your Pets
There are so many products available commercially.
Being in Colorado, the market is saturated with everyone making their own products. Also, I find that a lot of sellers are telling pet owners to dose their pets like they would for themselves, which is not correct and can create problems.
In addition, there can be interactions with other medications.
CBD is metabolized by the liver and it upregulates certain enzymes. When a human ingests an edible, the amount of THC present actually doubles due to the liver metabolism that occurs! The metabolism can be delayed, which means that person may not feel the effects until later and ingest another edible. Now they may have potentially ingested 4x the dose they wanted.
This is important to keep in mind for our pets though. We are not using large doses of CBD, but they may be on drugs that are metabolized through the liver and there could be other adverse side effects. It is important to work with a veterinarian that can monitor what is happening and make the right adjustments to the amount of CBD being used and even other medication dosages.
How To Pick A Safe CBD Product
Once again, work with your veterinarian but here are a few criteria that are important:
* Make sure the product is organic
Just like with our food, there are a lot of pesticides being used. Cannabis plants take up many of these chemicals if they are present in the soil.
You do not want to be putting more chemicals into your pets’ body.
The cancer rate is already higher than it has ever been for pets with 2 in 3 getting cancer, and this is probably partly due to the number of chemicals and pollution that we are exposed to every day.
* Don’t go cheap
Cheaper is definitely not better in this industry.
The amount of times I have seen pet parents wasting money on products that did not have anywhere close to a therapeutic dose in the product is sad.
Make sure that you know how much CBD is actually present in the product. The concentration should be listed on the bottle as mg/ml. The company should make it very easy to measure and calculate the amount needed for whatever condition is being treated.
*Check the companies certificate of analysis (CoA)
This information will tell you how many cannabinoids are present, has a residual solvent test, pesticide test and terpene profile. You should be able to obtain this information off of the product or on the company’s website.
If you cannot find this information easily on the website, the company should be more than happy to provide it if you give them a phone call or email.
Click here to learn more about CoA’s and why they’re important.
*Buy the product as a tincture
This form of the product is much easier to dose and adjust for animals and is usually more effective.
You always want to start on the lower end of dosing for animals and work your way up to the therapeutic dosage to make sure your pet tolerates it. CBD is generally very safe for pets when used appropriately.
*And finally avoid isolates
Choose “full spectrum” hemp-rich CBD products. Full spectrum means it includes a variety of cannabis compounds, including a small amount of THC (0.3% or less) in keeping with the legal definition of hemp.
These cannabis compounds work synergistically in the body to provide the therapeutic effects you want. This is also what keeps herbal medicine safer than conventional medication because the natural compounds balance each other in the body.
A brand of CBD that I love, use for my own pets and patients, and trust is VetCS. They have CBD products for dogs and cats that include tinctures, CBD pet treats, and even a peanut butter CBD paste. Check them out here and use code T101 for a discount.
CBD is a hot topic right now, but you shouldn’t have to navigate this big world alone. There are veterinarians, like myself, who are knowledgeable and willing to help so you can help your pet achieve optimal health and well-being. There are many natural options available for treating medical conditions, and I look forward to helping these become more available for pet parents so we can help our pets live longer and healthier lives.
MORE NATURAL PET HEALTH INFORMATION
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2. Join our FREE Facebook Natural Pet Parent Community group for more natural health guidance.
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3. Inquire about our Healthy Holistic Pet For Life Blueprint program for even more guidance with your pets.
You may be spending hours and hours researching what is the best way to raise your puppy and other fur family and feeling lost, stuck, and confused on what is the best path forward. Many pets are developing diseases early in life that are expensive, shortening their lives, and are stressful for pet parents to endure watching their pets not feel well. We’ve created a program that guides you through the 5 pillars of health to help you gain confidence in the essential areas of pet health that will help reduce disease from occurring, keep your pets healthy and happy, reduce vet bills and help you feel empowered and confident as a pet parent to tackle anything. The best part is you gain access to an incredible worldwide community of pet parents and weekly 2-hour Q&A’s with Dr. Katie to gain further clarification and get your questions answered. If you’d like to learn more, make sure to schedule a call with us here: Healthy Holistic Pet For Life Application
*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor. The information contained in thenaturalpetdoctor.com is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in thenaturalpetdoctor.com, you are taking full responsibility for your actions. Please consult your veterinarian for medical advice for your own pets. Dr. Katie Woodley cannot answer specific questions about your pet’s medical issues or make medical recommendations for your pet without first establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.