In our previous articles CBD Oil for Cats, Birds & Other Pets and How CBD Can Help Your Dog we highlighted the many benefits of giving CBD to popular pets. Based on numerous owner testimonies and a few studies, most pets get the same benefits from CBD that humans do. However, they tend to be more sensitive to its effects compared to us.
Additionally, studies have observed that THC is never good for most pets, and in fact, it can even kill them. This is a big consideration if you are planning to give your pet some CBD.
Obviously, we here at CLB would advise in favor of giving your pets CBD, since it has already been well-established that its benefits vastly outweigh its risks. However, there are several important things that you need to consider first. These considerations sit on a thin line between healing your pet and harming it.
Pet precautions
Let’s take a look at some of the things you need to think about before ordering CBD for your pet. The first thing here applies to the CBD you buy for yourself as well.
Third-party testing and Certificate of Analysis (CoA)
This is possibly the most important consideration you need to keep in mind when buying CBD products. There is no doubt that CBD has a lot of benefits, but those that did not go through proper quality control and testing can do more harm than good.
You would want to buy from a company that explicitly states that they use a third-party party testing service. Every batch of the CBD oil should be tested and its origins should be published on their website whenever possible. If the hemp is farmed in the USA, it most likely is of better quality
LolaHemp Pet CBD provides a really good example of how the test results should look like. Check out the Certificate of Analysis that they published for the contents of their products. While some CBD companies do have CoAs on their website, they only have results showing the cannabinoid content of the CBD. Like LolaHemp’s, CBD products should be tested for pathogens, harmful chemicals like pesticides and residual solvents, and heavy metals.
CBD companies have to pay for testing, so this will reflect on the price of the CBD product. CBD oil is not cheap, so if you see a cheap CBD product that looks too good of a deal, don’t go for it.
Isolate or whole plant extract?
While we recommend that you go with whole plant extract, only do so if you are very certain of the quality of the CBD product. This is because inferior products may contain some amounts of THC, which can harm your pet. That said, you should always choose CBD products specially formulated for pets that clearly indicate “Zero THC”.
By using whole plant extracts like broad-spectrum or full-spectrum oils, your pet can take advantage of the entourage effect where all the naturally-occurring compounds in the CBD oil combine to provide a benefit that’s greater than that of isolates.
Treats or oil?
When you search online for CBD pet products, you are sure to come across CBD treats. While these are also good, CBD oils will offer more bang-for-the-buck. With CBD tinctures, you can give a more accurate dose more effectively. Just put a drop on your finger and gently place it under the tongue or the gums of your pet. This way, the CBD won’t have to go through the digestive system where it won’t be absorbed as efficiently. Plus, your pet doesn’t have to eat more calories and whatnot just to get enough CBD.
For more fussy animals like cats where oral administration may be difficult, you can gently massage the dose somewhere near the ear opening.
Animals are typically more sensitive to CBD, which is why topicals work effectively on them. Topical CBD work well on arthritis and painful skin conditions.
Hemp oil?
On the topic of using oils, you should only buy those explicitly labeled “CBD oil”. You may come across products labeled “hemp oil” or “hemp seed oil”. If you cannot see on the label how much CBD it contains, it’s not likely to be CBD, even if it is extracted from hemp.
Hemp seed oil is its own product. It has a lot of uses and is also used as a carrier oil. But it does not have CBD in it.
Is your pet medicating?
Chances are, if you are planning to use CBD on your pet, you are trying to treat some kind of condition. If your pet is already currently on medication, you need to consult with your vet first before giving CBD. In Drugs to Avoid While Using CBD we discussed how CBD affects the way the liver metabolizes drugs. While CBD itself won’t be harmful, it can prolong the time the drug stays in the body, which could be dangerous.
Consulting a vet can help you determine if your pet can take CBD with any existing medication. Vets can also tell you the correct dose of CBD that you should be giving for your pet’s condition. While you may be able to find dosage information based on your pet’s weight on the CBD product’s website, a vet may be able to determine the right dosage more accurately since he’ll be taking into account the medical history of your pet.
Conclusion
A lot of pet owners will swear by the benefits of CBD. In fact, you’ll frequently hear stories of how CBD made their pets recover from chronic pain and the effects of cancer. While there’s little research to support these claims, it seems that its already a moot point. Companies are already busy churning out CBD pet products while consumers are eagerly buying them. There are already so many pet products to choose from and while you may be tempted to lavish your pet with appealing treats, keep in mind that CBD is more of a medicine than a supplement. It is going to be more cost-effective to give it in its purest form.