CBD for Dogs?

Though the phrase “sick as a dog” gets tossed around as a cute expression, a real sick animal is anything but. It can be heartbreaking to watch your dog suffer through an extended illness, paralyzing anxiety, or chronic pain. Luckily, cannabidiol (CBD) might have the answers. Learn here about eight reasons to use CBD for dogs.

Okay, so if you are unfamiliar with CBD it probably seems a tad crazy that I’m trying to convince you a cannabinoid might be they key to alleviating your dog’s medical problems, but hear me out. This isn’t some late night buddy comedy where a whole tray of pot brownies accidentally gets eaten by your golden retriever, this is cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that is generating some of the most interesting headlines at the forefront of medical science. And because it’s good enough for humans, researchers have started turning their attention to man’s best friend as well.

Wait… CBD Works For Dogs Too?

It turns out that dogs have an endocannabinoid system(ECS) just like humans! Dogs have two kinds of receptors in their bodies, CB1 receptors (located in the brain, nervous system, glands, and organs) and CB2 receptors (located in the regulatory cells of the immune system).

If you’re thinking to yourself “Gee, that’s a hell of a lot of different areas to find ECS receptors…” you’d be right — it’s one of the principal reasons that CBD products such as oils and lotions are effective for such a broad range of common canine health problems.

But How Safe is CBD for Dogs?

Absolutely. Although any Veterinarian worth their salt will tell you to stay away from psychoactive cannabinoids like THC where pets are concerned (sorry doggos), CBD oils and other products are rapidly gaining popularity in the field of veterinary medicine. Yes, there are still legal concerns to worry about depending on what state you live in, but as more and more brave vets are sharing their experiences with the life-changing results of CBD oils and treatments, it is becoming more widely accepted. Well that, plus I think we can all tell (or should I say smell?) what direction the wind is blowing on cannabinoid legislation writ large in North America.

Okay, onto the list!

1. CBD Reduces Pain And Inflammation

I thought I’d start off with the most popular use many dog owners are finding for CBD oil. Living with chronic pain is something that is difficult at the best of times, and something no one wants to see a loved one go through. CBD for dogs not only reduces pain for a variety of chronic and acute conditions in dogs, it can also reduce inflammation in areas that cause pain in the first place. A few common health problems that fall under this category include Arthritis, Hip Dysplasia, torn ligaments, sprains, and surgical recovery.

2. CBD Can Help Fight Cancer

This is another big one, both in the severity of the illness and the increase in quality of life that CBD oils and treatments can provide for dogs. Studies have shown that CBD can prevent the growth of cancer cellsas well as increase tumor cell death. There are a bunch of other exciting science-y reasons why we should be excited about CBD for dogs as a cancer treatment, but I feel like “fights cancer” probably gets the message across loud and clear. Plus, we already know that CBD is an effective treatment for pain and inflammation, so it’s a bit of a double-whammy treatment as far as cancer is concerned.

3. CBD Can Treat Seizures And Epilepsy

I don’t know if you’ve ever witnessed someone having a seizure before, but trust me, it’s hella scary. I’d love to say that isn’t the case for dogs, but that would be a lie. It’s believed that around 5% of dogs suffer from seizures as a result of epilepsy, which doesn’t sound too bad until you think of it in terms of 1 in 20. Yikes. Well, the good news is that CBD oils have been shown to be an effective treatment for seizures in humans, and there’s good reason to think that applies to dogs as well. Better still, CBD for dogs seems to be effective even in cases of drug-resistant epilepsy

4. CBD Helps With Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

We’ve already touched briefly on inflammation, but you might also be interested to know that CBD for dogs has been shown to be an effective treatment for colitisand other bowel issues like hyper motility(a really polite way of saying chronic diarrhea) in dogs. Combined with its antibiotic properties, CBD could really help bring your dog’s gut back in check.

5. CBD Reduces Stress And Anxiety

Unlike most of the other conditions on this list that have reasonable (although we’ll learn not side-effect free) alternatives, stress and anxiety are problems that are deeply personal in the way that they affect each individual and notoriously hard to treat. If you’re at the “tried everything stage” and still can’t find what you’re looking for, I’d recommend taking a serious look at CBD oils for your dog’s stress and anxiety issues.

Anxiety and stress is also a unique condition for dogs because it has an even more direct impact on the way that you live YOUR life (not being able to leave the house for long, having to avoid loud noises and crowds, not being able to invite people over to your place, etc.). Luckily, CBD oils have proven to be a HUGE win for tons of dog owners who thought they would never find a way to manage their pup’s anxiety problems.

6. CBD Can Treat Certain Skin Conditions

Here’s a pro tip: if your dog is scratching himself all the time, he’s probably not doing it for fun.

Okay—he might be—but there’s also a chance that your dog has a skin problem. Whether it’s a simple contact allergy or a more serious chronic condition like eczema, CBD lotions and oils are here to help. CBD products can help your dog both by relieving dry and itchy skin, and by promoting healthy skin growth.

7. CBD Can Help With Nausea And Appetite Problems

There are any number of reasons why your dog might have nausea or appetite problems, many of which we have already covered on this list. Whether it’s a result of cancer, gastrointestinal problems, stress, or simply a one-time nasty meal, CBD for dogs has been shown to increase appetite and suppress nausea. I’m starting to sense a pattern here…

8. CBD Doesn’t Come With The Laundry List Of Side Effects

Perhaps most important of all is the myriad harmful drugs you can safely keep away from your dog by using CBD as a supplement or (in some cases) alternative to conventional drug therapies. Indeed, almost every condition on this list has a default prescription drug route that you can take, some of which have a list of side effects so numerous you’d think you were watching a late night television add for erectile dysfunction. Needless to say, CBD doesn’t come with the crazy fine print or a list of scary side effects, and has been shown to be perfectly safe for dogs.