CBD and Pets

By now you may have heard of CBD, for those that haven’t, I will briefly explain what it is. CBD is short for Cannabidiol. CBD makes up a good portion of the cannabis plant, after THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is what gives a “high” feeling. CBD does not produce those effects. CBD is known for its therapeutic benefits. Common uses are for anxiety, anti-inflammatory, and seizures. There are many benefits associated with CBD. CBD can come from marijuana or hemp plants and it completely legal in most countries. Humans have been using CBD for a long time.

 But can this holistic approach work for your pets as well? I have cared for many dogs and cats over the years that suffer from so many different ailments. Their owners have them on a smorgasbord of daily pills. Often, I don’t see much improvement in these pets. So, its natural to wonder if there is an alternative. 

 There are so many products and they each have a claim of being a miracle. I decided to give CBD a try for my geriatric Sheltie. He has suffered from seizures since he was about a year old. The veterinarian couldn’t find a cause.  I really thought it could be his diet, so I experimented and when I switched to grain-free, the seizures subsided for a while. As he got older, I noticed, the grain-free I was buying stopped making a difference. His seizures were becoming more frequent again.

 Around 11 ½ years old, he started suffering from arthritis. He had a hard time getting up and was very slow going. In January 2019, I came across an article for CBD for pets. Intrigued, I did some more research and found a reputable company. I ordered 125mg liquid (pictured above). I received it with in days. I would give him a dropper full by mouth, 2x a day. With in 2 days, I noticed a huge difference in his walking. He was actually sprinting around! I couldn’t believe it! I wondered what it would do for his seizures?

 I continued to give it to him for 6 months. By this time, he turned 12 years old. He had no seizures! His walking and getting around wasn’t a 100 percent back, but it was a great improvement. Then for whatever reason, I stopped giving it to him for months. I saw a great decline in his health. His seizures started up again almost weekly. He was very stiff walking. Took him what seemed like forever to get up. He was sleeping all the time.

 My husband one day asked, are you still giving him the CBD? I said “no”. I decided right then to order more. That was January 1, 2020. Again, a day after I started giving it to him, his walking improved. He could sprint! Its mid February now. He will be 13 years old in May. The CBD helps greatly with his arthritis but he still has had 2 seizures since January. He does still sleep a lot but I am assuming that’s just age.

 I know he doesn’t have much longer with us but I want him to be as comfortable as possible. I really feel like the CBD provides that comfort. I’m skeptical of pharmaceuticals and the costs can be high. A bottle of this CBD where I order it from, costs anywhere from $20-$25 and lasts about 2 ½ months.

 When buying CBD, you really have to research where you are getting it from. CBD became popular and with that comes people looking to profit off sub-par products. What to look for in a CBD product, look at a company’s website for this information:

1. Their process for extracting CBD should be using olive oil,  ethanol or supercritical CO2
2. Look where they sourced their hemp from. Should be from a certified US farmer.
3. CBD product should contain less than 0.3 percent THC.
4. Should be manufactured using the Whole Plant or term used Full Spectrum
5. A reputable brand will use a third-party lab to test their product.

 
I found www.innovetpet.com and use their CBD oil. I am in no way an affiliate and I am not paid by them. I believe they have a great product. They also have a range of products. You can buy CBD in treat form, but after doing research most people agree its not as effective. You can mix CBD into your pet’s food also but I find it to be most effective by directly putting it into my dog’s mouth. Make sure you are giving the proper dose for your pet’s weight. There are different strengths of CBD and which one you will use will be dependent on your pet’s weight. The higher the CBD mg, the more money it will cost.
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As always, consult your veterinarian before using a holistic approach. If you have any questions, please reach out to me.

Update December 2020: My sheltie I wrote about in this article, had to be put to rest in April 2020. We since got a new puppy. I decided to give CBD a try with her to help calm her a bit and help with teething. So far been using for 2 weeks. At first I was only giving her 1/2 vile, 2x a day. I have since been giving her a full vile, 2x a day, and that seems to be working better.