Dogs provide the family with a hiking partner, a shoulder to cry on, and a best friend. They show us unconditional love and support and deserve the same in return. That’s why millions of pet owners are turning to CBD oil for dogs. CBD for dogs gives your four-legged loves a load of benefits that may help with anything from anxiousness to dealing with achy joints.

For animals, it’s not the quantity of years; it’s the quality. Their short time here should be as pleasurable as possible. With CBD treats for dogs and CBD pet tinctures, you can help your dog maintain or recapture that youthful spirit. Here is why CBD oil for dogs may be the right choice of therapy for your pet.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the primary active compounds found in the hemp plant. CBD is one in a group of 113 chemical compounds that are nearly exclusive to the hemp plant. These molecules are known as cannabinoids.

Research indicates that cannabinoids in hemp interact with a series of receptors throughout the body that influences everything from motion sickness to appetite to anxiety. This complex communication network is known as the endocannabinoid system.

Studies on CBD are still in its genesis. However, early analyses indicate the relationship between CBD and endocannabinoid system makes CBD oil for dogs a beneficial supplement.

How is CBD Oil for Dogs Made?

If you look closely on the exterior of a hemp leaf (or lavender, chamomile, etc.), you will notice tiny hairs. These are known as trichomes.

To get CBD oil for dogs, you must apply external pressure on the trichomes. This action will cause these hairs to burst open, releasing its essence into the atmosphere.

High-quality CBD for dogs is extracted using one of two methods:

Food-Grade Solvent (Ethanol)
Pressurized Carbon Dioxide

As the cannabinoids enter the atmosphere, they bond to carbon molecules either in the solvent or pressurized carbon dioxide. From there, they are separated from these non-toxic elements and are used to formulate CBD oil for dogs.

Why Buy CBD Oil for Dogs?

CBD products have become so popular among the mainstream. With millions of humans finding relief for anxiety, appetite, and pain perception, why shouldn’t animals have the same respect? After all, many animals are given supplements like fish oil for heart health like their human counterparts!

The reason why hemp oil products for dogs is such a viable option for dealing with separation anxiety, aggressive behavior to strangers, or lack of appetite is due to the endocannabinoid system. While research on the endocannabinoid system on dogs is limited, we do know a bit more about it in humans and the effects are similar.

Based on the fact that many human supplements can be altered to meet the correct dosage for dogs, CBD servings can be tailored to pets as well. To figure out this serving size, you first need to understand how CBD oil for dogs interacts with your pet’s system.

Dogs and the Endocannabinoid System

We mentioned earlier that our pets’ bodies have a series of receptors. These are known as cannabinoid receptors, and they trigger the symptoms your dog experiences.

There are two cannabinoid receptors, appropriately called, CB1 and CB2. Between the two of them, CB1 and CB2 receptors have almost all the surface area of the body covered. These cannabinoid receptors also bring their own unique benefits, which is crucial in promoting balance throughout the system.

If your dog barks relentlessly every time you leave, there’s a receptor in the endocannabinoid system sparking this reaction. The same can be said for when this ill-behaved pup decides to tinkle on the floor. A receptor is also causing tingling pain in the elder pup’s joints. These cries for attention from within are all apart of the intricate endocannabinoid system.

When you administer CBD for dogs to your pet, the cannabinoids in the formula enter the bloodstream. From there, they will receive the distress signal being parlayed by the receptors. In turn, CBD will react one of two ways.

CBD will either stimulate and sedate the upset receptor, or bind onto the compound that causing the receptor distress. Either way, the endocannabinoid system is essential for the symptoms your dog is experiencing and preventing them.

CBD for Dogs: Anxiety

If there were any doubt that your dog missed you while you were out, then take a look at the destroyed pillow. While your puppers may have missed you, your now angry with them and have a mess to clean up when they act this way. Separation anxiety is a real problem among dogs. They get very attached to their owner. Every second you’re gone seems like an eternity to them.

Whether it’s a loud thunderstorm, past owner abuse, or a trip to the vet, dogs can be very anxious. Anytime they experience anxiety; their adrenal glands produce a hormone known as cortisol.

If you work five days per week and come home to a trashed house each time, that means your dog is producing a lot of cortisol. Chronic stress not only destroys your house, but it can destroy your dog’s health.

Research on CBD indicates this cannabinoid can naturally balance cortisol levels. In turn, it also helps in the production of calming neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. As a result, your dog should have less stress, and you should have less mess.

CBD for Dogs: Appetite and Nausea

What’s so great about CBD for dogs is its ability to promote balance throughout the body. Therefore, if your young pup tends to overeat, one of the CBD benefits for dogs is to satiate that hunger. However, if your dog needs some extra encouragement getting chow down, CBD oil for dogs can help with this problem as well.

CBD to Suppress Appetite

Research indicates that hunger is brought on by the CB1 receptor. If the CB1 receptor becomes overstimulated, your dog can end up binging their kibble. However, CBD acts as a CB1 antagonist, bringing the opposite effect to the body. That makes CBD oil for dogs a great way to control your pet’s appetite.

CBD for Appetite

While CBD benefits for dogs does include suppressing appetite, it may still assist your dog in eating. A big part of the reason elderly or sick dogs don’t eat is that treatment or illness is making them nauseous. Just like humans don’t like to eat when they don’t feel well, neither do our four-legged friends.

Research on CBD finds that its interaction with both CB1 and CB2 may help your dog not feel nauseous or vomit. Dogs are instinctual. They want to eat. Therefore, if they don’t feel sick while eating, they will continue to munch. In turn, your dog will get more nutrition into their system, and hopefully, strength to get through their day.

CBD Oil for Dogs: Seizures

What first brought medical cannabis to the forefront was the way CBD has been used to help those with epilepsy. Research on CBD shows that cannabinoids help neutralize receptors that are causing impulses related to epilepsy.

Last year, the first CBD medication for humans with epilepsy became regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While there hasn’t been any research on epilepsy and dogs, the promising results in humans have made therapy for epilepsy one of the top CBD uses for dogs.

CBD Oil for Dogs: Pain

There is nothing worse than seeing your best friend, once full of life, now groaning by your feet. Getting old is inevitable, and pain seems to come with the territory. Therefore, we should try our best to make these years the most comfortable for our loved ones.

Pain is a perception. It’s something your dog experiences because their mind is drawing its attention to a symptom. Typically, pain is triggered by an inflammation setting off a cannabinoid receptor.

Through the endocannabinoid system, the receptor relays the message of an intruder to the brain. Depending on the intruder, your dog’s mind manifests the symptoms your dog experiences. Pain such as a sprained ankle after a hike in the woods will subside with time. However, chronic pain like arthritis will persist.

Two CBD Benefits for Dogs with Pain

There are two ways to stop the pain your dog is experiencing:

Stop the cause of the inflammation
Stop the Receptor’s Message

Depending on the severity of your pet’s pain, these two might be the best benefits of CBD for dogs.

Research on CBD shows that cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory properties. They also exhibit antioxidant-like abilities. Therefore, cannabinoids may help reduce the inflammation within the system while simultaneously helping to clear out the debris causing the inflamed cells.

Secondly, CBD soothes the receptor triggering the dog’s brain to experience these symptoms. Research indicates that cannabinoids calm the receptors, which changes the message being relayed to the endocannabinoid system. In turn, your dog no longer fixates on the problems their body is trying to solve.

If the condition is chronic, the anti-inflammatory qualities of CBD might not be enough. However, CBD is an all-natural way to bring your dog temporary relief.

Can CBD Oil for Dogs Get My Pet High?

While there are no known cannabis overdoses for humans, the same can’t be said about dogs. Just like dogs have a heightened sense of smell and sight, their endocannabinoid system is more sensitive. Notably, they are far more susceptible to the psychoactive effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

In hemp derived CBD oil for dogs, there can be very low levels of THC. This is because the hemp plant contains 0.3% THC or less in its genetic makeup.

Therefore, there isn’t enough THC to cause the psychoactive effect side effects in CBD for dogs.

If you are a medical marijuana patient or in a state where recreational marijuana is legal, please look at the label before administering CBD oil for dogs. Some CBD oil formulas are made from marijuana plants and those may contain more THC and be unsafe to give to your dog.

Why Made By Hemp is the Best CBD Oil for Dogs

The idea of overdosing your dog is a scary concept. At Made by Hemp, we don’t take those concerns lightly. After all, we make these products for our dogs too!

Our products are formulated using the entire hemp plant–hemp seeds, stems, leaves, and all because research indicates cannabinoids work the best in synergy together. This practice, called full-spectrum, enriches the formula with all 100 plus known phytocannabinoids. Utilizing a full spectrum formula for the best CBD oil for dogs creates a higher quality supplement that is more likely to work due to the whole plant synergy.

Many CBD companies use what is called CBD isolate for their pet supplements. This is fine, as it still provides the benefits of CBD, however, it is missing all of the plant parts and other nutrients found in all natural hemp oil.

To ensure our best CBD products for dogs truly are the best, we test and test again. All products listed on our site are tested before being sent to us and are delivered with a COA (certificate of analysis). We also test them independently to ensure everything received in is truly what the manufacturer says it is. All COAs can be found and viewed on our product pages.

Side Effects of CBD for Dogs

No matter what, always consult a veterinarian before bringing a new supplement into your pet’s routine. It is important they are aware of any changes you make. Please heed to any advice they give you and seek a second opinion if you passionately disagree.

Since many products are derived from hemp, there are no known harmful side effects to CBD for dogs. If you administer too much CBD to your pet, you might notice they become a bit lethargic. In that instance, stop administering and watch your dog’s behavior. If their sluggish behavior doesn’t improve, then consult their veterinarian immediately.

When your dog regains their energy, you now know what dose exceeds their CBD threshold. Cut the serving down in the future and pay attention to their behavior.

CBD Oil Dosage for Dogs

CBD dosage for dogs is as unique as your loved one’s personality. It all depends on how big they are, how their body metabolizes CBD, and what they ate that day. While there is no exact science on the correct CBD serving size for dogs, there is a standard to start at and then tweak as you and your pet explore the CBD benefits for dogs.

Let’s take a look at the two most common ways to give your fur baby CBD oil for dogs. Knowing how you want your pet to experience CBD will determine the current CBD serving for dogs.

CBD Tinctures for Dogs

Tinctures for dogs can be easily added to their food and mixed in. You can also put a tincture under your dog’s tongue, but we all have dogs too and realize that isn’t the easiest task.

CBD dosage for dogs suggested serving size is based on weight:

≤25 lbs dogs: 10 drops
26-50 lbs: 20 drops
>50lbs: 30 drops

Tinctures can also be used in creating your own CBD dog treats!

CBD Treats for Dogs

While CBD tinctures are an effective way to control the CBD serving size for dogs, CBD treats for dogs are an easier way. What dog doesn’t love treats? Well, your pet will enjoy them even more once they experience the CBD benefits for dogs.

Like CBD tinctures, the CBD dosage for dogs is determined by weight. So, you can buy the products based on your dog’s size:

Small – ≤ 20 lbs
Medium – 21 – 59 lbs
Large – 60+ lbs

Treats come in individual servings. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about the CBD dosage for dogs. Just administer the treat as necessary.

Keep in mind; your dog needs to digest the treat. Due to the digestive process, the benefits of CBD might not be felt as quickly as with CBD tinctures. However, that doesn’t make this method of CBD oil for dogs any less effective.

This post originally appeared on the Made By Hemp blog and was published here as part of our ongoing partnership with the editorial team at Made By Hemp.

CBD Oil for Dogs: What You Should Know