CBD for Dogs
By: Anshika Khandwal
Tags: Cbd For Dogs Anxiety, Cbd For Pets, Cbd For Dogs, Cbd Medicine, Cbd

“Every animal with a spinal column also has an endocannabinoid system, so it stands to reason that cannabis can help many species.” Said Liz Hughston, a retired veterinarian.

Hi, my name is Anshika Khandwal. Today I’ll be talking about CBD for Dogs and what are the benefits of CBD on dogs.

The research was done on done for dogs in 2018 on Pharmacokinetics, safety, and clinical efficacy of Cannabidiol Treatment on Osteoarthritic Dogs. Researchers gave the dogs doses of 2 or 8 milligrams (mg) per kilograms (kg) of the dogs’ body weight. 80% of the dogs showed improvement in their pain and mobility. The results were considered a little biased because the funding for this study was done by the CBD producers.

In 2019 another research to assess the effect of oral cannabidiol (CBD) administration in addition to conventional antiepileptic treatment on seizure frequency in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy took place. Almost a similar number of the dogs as in the study of 2018 responded positively and there was a decrement in the number of seizure activities.

Studies like these gave away for the CBD’s medicinal potential for dogs but further studies are still going on to reach a proper conclusion.

DOSAGE OF CBD FOR DOGS

CBD dosing for dogs depends on several factors. As the working of CBD includes the interaction of CBD with the body’s different receptors every human as well as every animal reacts to it differently. Every dog responds to CBD differently that is why it is necessary to start with a small dose and then monitor the effect of CBD on the dog by its reaction and then increase the amount of dose if needed as per the requirements. And of course, before using CBD on any of your pets you should always consult your veterinarian.

You should compare your dog’s needs overall before and after the use of CBD for the determination of the appropriate dosage.

The weight of the dog is also one of the factors in the process of giving the right dosage to some extent. Different weighted dogs have different effects of CBD on them.

Most pet companies recommend 0.5 to 5 milligrams (mg) of CBD for every 4.5 kilograms (kgs) which is 10 pounds of body weight. I’ll recapitulate the amount of dosage as per the body weight of the dogs.

5 pounds: 0.25 milligrams

10 pounds: 0.5 milligrams

20 pounds: 1 milligram

40 pounds: 2 milligrams

60 pounds: 3 milligrams

80 pounds: 4 milligrams

100 pounds: 5 milligrams

120 pounds: 6 milligrams

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE CBD TO WORK ON DOGS?

It takes dogs about 3–7 days to feel some evident effects of CBD. It might feel like it is not working but try continuing it for at least a week or so to see a noticeable effect. If you started at a minimum dose and don’t notice any changes within this time, try increasing the dose about every three days until your dog’s symptoms begin to subside.



BENEFITS OF CBD FOR DOGS

As CBD had benefitted humans it has some amazing benefits on dogs as well. I am listing below some benefits that CBD had on dogs. All of these health benefits have been suggested and/or proven to a certain extent, uses studies with dogs first, followed by any other animal studies and then human trials.

· CBD has shown to improve the sleep pattern in dogs having Canine. The dogs suffering from Canine cognitive dysfunction (dementia) often have confusion between day and night, which interrupts their sleep patterns. CBD use has proven to have a positive impact on sleep patterns inducing drowsiness.

· There are numerous causes of poor circulation in dogs including heartworm and problems with the valves of the dog’s heart. According to research, the use of CBD can improve blood circulation. The usage of CBD for dogs has shown to improve circulation and reduce complications related to poor blood flow.

· CBD is considered to help decrease the frequency and severity of muscle spasms. Muscle spasms in dogs can be the result of allergies, injury, neurological damage, physical injury, or a reaction to many different medications. CBD oil has been very useful in treating these spasms. CBD also works very well as a muscle relaxant for pets. CBD also works effectively to treat conditions that cause muscle tightening of the dog’s body. Those conditions include muscle hypertonicity, meningitis, myositis, and myasthenia gravis.

· We already know that CBD is a powerful antioxidant. Like other antioxidants, CBD helps in reducing cell damage in the dog’s body that results from free radicals. This makes CBD for dogs a great source of relief, especially for the dogs who are having severe allergies, other skin conditions, and it is also helpful for the dogs having age-related deterioration. Dogs can also suffer from the infamous skin condition psoriasis, and CBD is really helpful to treat this disease.

· CBD is now also considered to be a powerful anti-proliferative substance that comes with several health benefits of its own. Studies show how CBD can hamper and even stop cancer growth altogether. Veterinarians have been studying the possible health benefit and how to use CBD for dogs on the path of dying from cancer. Treatment of dogs with CBD doesn’t just kill off tumor tissue, but it can also stop and destroy cancer in its tracks. This is a result of CBD blocking cancer cells from producing energy, prohibiting cell growth, and helping the system to more effectively kill cancer cells.

Cancerous tumors are often reduced in size before surgery or killed off completely with the appliance of CBD for dogs. A multitude of studies has demonstrated the anti-tumor effects of CBD. CBD oil for dogs can also play a role in preventing the migration of tumor cells and the adhesion of tumor cells to tissues and organs in the canine body. This makes CBD a powerful treatment in modulating the metastasis of cancerous cells. While this needs to be studied more in canines, there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence from pet owners.

· CBD can be used to control chronic pain resulting from illness or injury that cannot be treated with traditional methods of pain control in dogs. This has been confirmed in many human and some animal studies, but there’s a lack of research with canine models.

Veterinarians have been discussing the use of CBD for dogs as a pain reliever for quite a while. Using CBD for dogs and its oil application has been proven to supply pain relief without the cardiovascular effects of narcotics.

In clinical trials, CBD has been shown to have a significant impact on pain caused by severe arthritis. The reason this is important is that arthritis pain doesn’t always respond to traditional dog pain relief meds, but CBD has a direct effect on arthritis pain by reducing inflammation and mediating pain with its unique mechanism.

Cannabidiol may also be used for joint pain in dogs caused by sprains, strains, and tears, particularly in older canines. This has been confirmed in many studies with animals like rats and human trials, but little evidence is available with its use on dogs. The CBD here works to mediate pain without the dangerous side effects associated with narcotic medications.

· Different types of bacterial growth can be slowed down by CBD. Some studies found Cannabidiol to act as a bactericidal substance, killing bacteria fully. For dogs with chronic bacterial infections or stubborn bacterial infections that are unresponsive to traditional treatment, CBD can convince be beneficial in slowing or maybe eliminating bacterial growth.

· CBD can improve cardiac function in dogs with arrhythmia. CBD has been proven to act as an anti-arrhythmic in animals when it is administered following the use of a CB1 receptor antagonist. Reducing the incidence of arrhythmia then lowers the incidence of a cardiac event and improves blood flow to major organs in canines.

· Products of CBD for dogs can help with some of their auto-immune illnesses. CBD oil was demonstrated to regulate the overactive immune system and reduce the damage it has on the natural functions and structures of the body.

· It’s been shown how CBD for dog’s application may speed up post-surgical healing and deal with surgery-associated pain or inflammation, as demonstrated in several animal studies. The reduction in inflammation, pain control, and bone support CBD provides makes it ideal for speeding up the process of dog’s healing after serious surgery. This method is particularly effective following orthopedic surgeries.

· CBD is a powerful neuro-protectant, meaning it serves to protect the dog’s nerve cells from different types of damage, degeneration, and impairment of their function. Whether administered following a neurological event or as ongoing treatment for patients with a high likelihood of a neurological event, CBD was shown to protect the brain from damage and reduce the likelihood of an event taking place.

· It’s estimated that about 1–5% of dogs (PDF) will suffer from either idiopathic or symptomatic seizures. CBD can be used to reduce seizure activity in dogs with seizure disorders and epilepsy that does not respond to typical treatment. CBD is also utilized for drug-resistant seizures in humans with Dravet Syndrome where fevers are induced by fever or hot temperatures.

· CBD can be used to mediate anxiety in dogs with severe anxiety issues, with some hints that it may even help with depression. Studies have shown how CBD for dogs provides relief from anxiety and is especially useful in pets that don’t answer or are unable to require the more traditional psychiatric medications due to side effects or existing health conditions. The calming effects of CBD are thought to be the result of the action of cannabidiol on serotonin receptors in the brain, and CBD’s ability to help the hippocampus regenerate neurons in canines.

· CBD may be used to treat dogs with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Because CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, it can be beneficial for reducing the inflammation associated with this condition. This not only reduces the pain your dog experiences, but it also reduces symptoms of IBS to cut back or potentially eliminate the disease.

Thank you so much for reading it till the end. I hope you found this article informative.

REFERENCES

1. https://draxe.com/pet-health/cbd-for-dogs/

2. https://topdogtips.com/cbd-for-dogs/

3. https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-for-dogs#methods