A dog truly is a person’s best friend. We invest in their lives, find emotional comfort and relationship with our furry friends, and develop deep connections. Because of this, when we are happy, our dogs are happy, and when our dogs are happy, so are we. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes our furry friends struggle, and these struggles cannot only bring down our pets, but can affect us as well. We want to see our pets happy, we don’t want to watch them be in pain, be stressed, or even be anxious.
While it might surprise you, giving your dog CBD can actually be an effective way to help your best friend through difficult times, injuries, or old age.
CBD, not THC
First and foremost, we are not saying to give your dog marijuana. In fact, THC can actually make your dog very sick. It is important to distinguish that while both THC and CBD come from the cannabis plant, they are different things. THC causes a reaction in humans that many of us are familiar with—whether first hand or second hand—that is known as “getting high.” CBD, however, another production of the cannabis plant, can help reduce inflammation, help to cope with stress, and improve sleep habits in humans.
While humans can tolerate both CBD and THC, your pets can only tolerate CBD, so ensure to find a healthy dose if you are considering giving your dog CBD.
Why Should I Give my Dog CBD?
There are a number of reasons why you may be considering giving your dog CBD. Obviously, this is not something that you just give your furry friend regularly for no reason. Giving your dog CBD is with the desire of improving their quality of life.
Many dogs suffer from stress, anxiety, attachment disorders, pain, and arthritis, and CBD can be used to remedy this.
Especially if you have a former stray, or abused pet, your dog may struggle with attachment anxiety, and stress caused by sounds or certain settings. CBD can be a great tool for helping your pet to move through anxiety symptoms, and even develop new neuropathways to assist it in healing from past mental wounds. This type of treatment should be done carefully, and notably, but may help improve your pet’s emotional ability and significantly reduce their day-to-day stress levels.
Another reason for administering CBD to your dog can be a post-injury scenario. Many dogs when injured, whether through an accident, or through a skin condition (such as fleas and ticks) have a habit of reopening wounds by biting or scratching the effected area. CBD has a significant effect of calming itches and the desire to itch for dogs. Giving your healing dog CBD can help ensure that it heals quickly, and does so without further aggravating or reopening their wounds.
Lastly, arthritis and old age are two things that we struggle watching our pets deal with. This type of pain that comes with older joints and age can make your dog less lively, and in some cases less happy. CBD is a great tool for reducing inflammation, and mildly assisting pain reduction. Giving your arthritis-affected, or older dog CBD treats can help to treat their ailments.
How Do I Give My Dog CBD?
First and foremost, you should never give your dog a CBD supplement made for humans. The human endocannabinoid system allows us to process cannabinoids (such as CBD and THC) in a specific way. Dogs also have an endocannabinoid system, but just like other nutritions and supplements, they process cannabinoids at a different level than humans. If you administer a dose of CBD to a dog that you would give yourself, you may get your dog sick. Thus, ensure that you acquire a dog-directed CBD supplement for your pet.
Additionally, you will want a CBD treat that is paired with other compounds to help your dog best ingest, and best enjoy their CBD supplement.
