Should we pump the breaks on CBD products for pets? Absolutely not but we should discuss three things all pet owners need to have on their radar when considering products ranging from CBD oil to treats.
Many people use this for their pets and some even say they use it for seizures. I've used it as an appetite stimulant for our older dog before he passed away as medications had terrible side effects. We know it helps with human children.
Vets will likely tell you there are still a lot of questions so watch as it becomes regulated and it needs more research.
Cannanine has a great blog post that brought some of these items to our attention, here are the three things to look out for before purchasing CBD products.
1. Never use CBD products with potentially dangerous artificial flavorings like Xylitol
We've talked a lot Xylitol in previous posts but CBD solid with Xylitol as a secondary ingredient wasn't something I've seen or considered. This ingredient is very dangerous for dogs. For more information, you can read this post about our findings.
"Because CBD has also exploded in popularity in the human market, companies have begun adding artificial and sugar free flavorings to their products in order to make them more palatable to people."
2. Never use CBD for dogs that contain THC
A lot of folks know this but you really have to look at the ingredients! Some dogs like people are more sensitive to THC than others.
"The vast majority of CBD products on the market contain a trace amount of THC. While the small amount of THC would not be harmful to people, dogs are particularly sensitive to THC toxicity."
Some dogs may react strongly to THC. For this reason, you should always look for 100 percent THC-free products.
3. Always review products to make sure they've been tested for heavy metals and pesticides
"Testing for toxins is incredibly important for hemp-based products due to its unique ability to pull out toxins from the earth. Hemp is so well known for this characteristic that is was once used by farmers near Chernobyl following the 1986 nuclear disaster."
This third point hadn't even crossed my mind! Even organically grown hemp products can become cross-contaminated with pesticides from neighboring crops.
This is a great segment too that demonstrates that most pet parents are using CBD for their pets! This is great news as it's helping so many of our animals but just be cautious about what your munchkins are taking when you look for CBD products.
I know pet parents that use CBD oil as an anti-inflammatory and it works very well for chronic pain too. We've tried the oil and dog treats and find that the oil seems to work best. Joint pain is an issue that is common in older pets and using CBD oil is a great alternative to some NSAID and drugs that are hard on your dog's liver.
While there are many benefits of CBD it's a good idea to always check with your vet or vet specialist before using the product as drugs can also contradict with CBD oil. There are no questions that the effects of CBD on our dogs is amazing and even has a calming effect on some canines.
Always check the dose as many companies will help you determine what's appropriate on their site or if you call their customer service you'll get an answer. I've even reached out on Facebook with questions about how much of the oil is ok daily. I want to make sure the quality of life for my animals is always off the charts so I've been using this with our seniors.
Do you give your dog CBD oil? Leave a comment below with your story.
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