Is CBD Oil Safe For Pets? Or Harmful?
A Veterinary Cannabis experimenter describe what people do and don’t know about giving their pets CBD as a supplement.
CBD has numerous benefits when it comes to human intake. Big question is, can it help our pets? Let’s dive in and find out.
When marijuana was legalized in Colorado, 2012, it wasn’t something Stephanie McGrath (leading veterinarian) thought much about. Until the phones couldn’t stop ringing. Pet owners and other vets wanted to know what her thoughts were on medical marijuana (CBD) for their pets.
McGrath had no interest in cannabis and she didn’t know what CBD was at the time. So she ignored the topic. But the volume of phone calls, and seeing CBD in the store shelves made her realize she had to start taking a closer look at the topic.
“I started investigating whether it would even be plausible for me to conduct any research.” says McGrath.
She became one of the top researchers on the topic whether CBD is safe for pets. She struggled to keep up because of the high demands as most people were turning to CBD to treat their pets.
Analysts predict that the CBD pet care market will reach $125m by 2022, making it the fastest growing sector in the CBD market.
There are still a lot of unknown in this fast growing industry. But let’s cover a few topics if you’re considering CBD oil for your pet:
What is CBD?
It is part of the cannabis family, a natural compound found in the plant. CBD helps the body maintain homeostasis. Important to know, CBD doesn’t produce a “high”. The US Food and Drug Administration approved CBD to treat Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome (two severe seizure disorders). It is also a treatment for pain and anxiety.
How is CBD issued to animals?
CBD products comes in many forms and sizes:
Unlike the CBD products that’s meant for humans, the pet care CBD products have different effects on the body especially in dogs. The difference between the capsule, oil and cream is that it effects the way CBD travels through the body.
After numerous tests, McGrath found that the CBD oil delivered the best results. The capsule also performs well, and the cream less.
Is there health benefits in giving your pet CBD?
CBD has strong anti-inflammatory possessions and can rapidly improve the movement of large dogs effected with osteoarthritis. Study shows that CBD may help reduce the number of seizures experienced by dogs. But until more is tested and proven, it is still the best option to talk to your vet before giving your pet CBD.
Is CBD safe for animals?
The answer is yes. CBD appears to be safe and easily consumed by animals. The big factor that pet owners need to be aware of is the quality of the CBD and its source. Some CBD products can contain THC which is toxic to pets. If you want to avoid harmful CBD products, only buy from a certified CBD dealer, avoid buying it from black market dealers. CBD products must contain lower than 0.3% THC to be considered safe for pets.
Information found in this article is based on research from different trusted resources.
Source:
https://medium.com/@lesleylamont9589/is-cbd-oil-safe-for-pets-or-harmful-af1bf3d68782