There has been much hype in the media recently about CBD oil use for people and pets. True CBD oil is “Cannabidiol” extracted from the hemp plant. Cannabidoil is responsible for many of the health benefits of CBD and does not contain the psychoactive THC portion, thus will not cause your pet to become intoxicated. The uses of CBD oil are numerous, here are the top ways it can benefit your pet:
- Anxiety – CBD oil can reduce separation anxiety and noise phobias by promoting relaxation. We have used it effectively alone or combined with other therapies for pets who have separation anxiety and fear of thunderstorms or fireworks.
- Anti-Cancer effects – CBD oil has been found to have an anti-tumor effect. In laboratory studies it has been shown to stop cancer cells from growing and kill tumor cells. In our experience, although CBD oil is not a “cure for cancer”, it does help to slow down tumor growth and is beneficial for pets who have cancer.
- Seizures and Epilepsy – Studies of CBD oil have shown that it can help with patients who have drug resistant epilepsy; over 4 to 5 months these patients showed a reduction in break through seizures. We have successfully used CBD oil with herbal and acupuncture therapy to reduce or eliminate conventional seizure medications in many pets who have epilepsy.
- Pain and Inflammation – The most popular use for CBD oil is to reduce pain and inflammation. Many people with chronic pain report an improvement in their condition as soon as 2 weeks after beginning therapy. Pets who have pain from arthritis, degenerative joint diseases, cancer, and many other inflammatory conditions can benefit from CBD oil. Because it is a natural substance we have found that some pets only need a very low dosage for pain, while some will need a larger amount to show benefits. Thankfully CBD oil is very safe when obtained from a reputable source and the dosage can be titrated to be effective for your pet.
- Appetite Benefits – For pets who are sick and have lost their appetite CBD oil can be used to increase appetite and help to get them eating again. CBD oil comes in a liquid form that can be easy to administer for pets who are not eating.
There are many sources of CBD oil online for pets and people. One of the problems we have had with patients buying CBD oil from online sources is that some brands are not standardized and have too little or too much Cannabinoil in them. This may result in the CBD oil having no effect or not the desired effect on your pet. We carry and recommend the “HempRX” brand as it is pure and organic and standardized to a specific dosage amount. If you have any questions about how CBD oil can benefit your pet, please contact us!