Medical marijuana is available in several places for patients suffering from epilepsy, pain, anxiety, and cancer.
Naturally, pet parents and veterinarians are asking if cannabidiol for PETS, in the form of products like cannabidiol oil for PETS or cannabidiol PETtreats, might give similar benefits.
Everything you need to know about CBD for PETS may be found here.
Canines: THC vs. CBD
CBD is one of more than 80 chemical substances generated from the cannabis (marijuana) plant known as “cannabinoids.” CBD is not psychoactive, unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the most well-known cannabinoid.
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines) like ibuprofen and Rimadyl share significant metabolic pathways with CBD. From inflammatory reactions to blood clotting, these pathways regulate many activities in the body.
Give your PET no marijuana or any product containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana’s main psychoactive ingredient. Simply put, there isn’t enough evidence to support the practise.
However, when taken in conjunction with other therapies, CBD-based medicines may help enhance your dog’s quality of life.
Why Do PETS Need CBD?
CBD is frequently recommended as a treatment for a wide range of ailments, including pain relief, arthritis, anxiety, seizures, and even cancer. Although the use of CBD in the treatment of each of these illnesses is understudied, each scenario has various amounts of scientific support.
Arthritis
CBD shares metabolic pathways with anti-inflammatory medicines, so it’s no surprise that it can aid with inflammation (anything that ends with –it is an inflammatory condition).
One of the most prevalent inflammatory illnesses in pets is osteoarthritis, which is also known as arthritis.
In their lives, one out of every four pets will be diagnosed with arthritis, and up to 60% of PETS will have some degree of the condition, according to some estimates.
When administered twice daily at the recommended doses, CBD has been demonstrated to provide significant pain relief in pets with arthritis.
Pain
The anti-inflammatory benefit shown in arthritic PETS may theoretically be seen in PETS suffering from other types of inflammatory pain, particularly back discomfort caused by intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).
Combination medicines containing both CBD and THC have been proven in preliminary human research to be more effective for pain alleviation than either drug alone. THC should not be administered to PETS because no such research has been done.
Seizures
CBD’s effect on seizures is arguably the well-studied in humans, but there is little data on its effect on pets. Seizures in PETS can be caused by a variety of issues.
CBD may be effective in lowering seizure frequency in pets with idiopathic epilepsy, according to some research. These benefits, however, are only shown in pets that are also given typical anti-seizure drugs.
Cancer
Cancer, like seizures, is a broad term that refers to a wide range of diseases, each with its own set of therapeutic options.
CBD has been investigated in humans for its potential use in cancer patients, both to treat the tumor(s) directly and to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and cancer treatment. The use of CBD for pets with cancer has received very little research.
CBD’s anti-nausea properties have been observed in rats and ferrets, suggesting that pets receiving chemotherapy may benefit from CBD medication.
Anxiety
The most common misunderstanding is that CBD can help with anxiety in pets. CBD could, in theory, relieve anxiety induced by pain or inflammation by lowering inflammation and pain.
However, because CBD is not psychoactive, it is unlikely that it may cure anxiety in pets in the same way that Prozac and other drugs can. As with most illnesses, the use of CBD for anxiety in pets necessitates much more investigation.
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Can You Give PETS a High-Dose CBD Supplement?
Though certain topical therapies are available, CBD oil is primarily given to pets orally, and the precise amount is critical. “Success has everything to do with dose, as it does with any medication,” explains Dr. Richter.
Most studies on CBD for pets with arthritis or seizures employ a dose of 2-8 mg/kg twice day, with most articles erring on the lower end of that range (about 1-2 mg per pound of body weight).
For the conditions evaluated, this dosage was shown to be both safe and effective (arthritis and seizures). More research is needed to determine the appropriate CBD dosages in the treatment of additional diseases.
The fact that many CBD products contain little, if any, CBD adds to the difficulty of properly dosing PETS with CBD.
Epidiolex, the only FDA-approved cannabinoid, could theoretically be prescribed by a veterinarian for epilepsy in pets, but it would likely be prohibitively expensive. However, unlike most other CBD products on the market, because it is FDA-approved, the CBD content of this product will be correct.
