The Science Behind CBD and Your Pets
The cannabis industry continues to grow tenfold with each new fiscal year. Forbes has predicted that the cannabis industry on a national scale will exceed $200 billion by the end of the decade. The benefits often associated with cannabis continue to become more attractive to patients and recreational consumers. At this point, the industry has reached a stage that grants our pets to consume particular cannabinoids safely. Aside from producing cannabis and cannabis novelties for adults, many cannabis companies are selling cannabinoids that are carefully crafted to assist in medicating your pet. Of the available cannabinoids for domestic animals is CBD. Let’s find out why!
How CBD works with your pets
Our furry friends have a very similar Endocannabinoid System, or ECS, similar to our own. This is the system of nodes responsible for dispensing the effects associated with cannabis throughout our (and our pets’) bodies. This means that animals also possess a set of CB1 and CB2 receptors. Virtually all living beings have some form of an ECS. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information or NCBI, the cannabinoid CBD has no adverse effects on animals.
Common uses of CBD for your pets
Our furry friends suffer from the adverse effects of old age, just as we humans do. In fact, old age can yield more complications for our four-legged friends more than us bipeds. This is because (naturally) humans utilize more forms of medical intervention to increase longevity. However, cats and dogs that have been thumped by Father Time are inflicted with adverse health effects such as bodily and joint pain, cancerous growths, swelling, anxiety, internal diseases, and a list of supplementary effects we humans are liable to suffer from. It was only recently that the cannabis industry has gained virtually unrestricted access to CBD.
List of Benefits of CBD for Your Pets
There are a multitude of health benefits associated with CBD for your pets. Some of these benefits include:
- Warding off anxiety and depression
- The reduction of swelling and bodily pain (Anti-Inflammatory use)
- Combating Joint Pain
- Nausea suppressant (anticonvulsant properties)
- Ease digestion problems and promote healthy internal functionality and many other health benefits.
The dangers associated with THC for your pets
Some cannabinoids associated with cannabis can be toxic for most domestic animals in non. Specifically, THC is toxic to your pet. Our furry friends’ bodies are not properly equipped to manage THC. This is likely due to a lack of unique receptors required to digest the psychoactive cannabinoid properly. There is a strong chance that animals have not developed enough CB1 receptors (the receptors that regulate psychoactive cannabinoids like THC) over the course of evolution. This does not mean that domestic animals can’t consume THC altogether; they are not well-equipped to handle intense doses of the psychoactive cannabinoid. This is similar to how amphibians have a lack of CB2 receptors making certain levels of CBD toxic to the water warriors. This is likely due to a hiccup in evolution as well.
The side effects of CBD on domestic animals
Just like any other medication, CBD for your pet also has a list of potential adverse effects. Some of these side effects include:
- Dry Mouth (xerostomia)
- Drowsiness (somnolence)
- A harmful spike in blood sugar
- Loss of Appetite
- Increased tolerance to CBD
Despite being non-psychoactive and relatively safe for humans and animals, dosing is critical when administering CBD for your pets. Be sure to consult a licensed Vet on how much CBD you should give your furry friend based on their breed, skeletal size, and weight.