CBD Hemp Benefits for Dogs

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Hemp for dogs? Won't it make my dog "high"? That was the question my friend asked me when I introduced CBD hemp oil to her dog.

Hemp and Marijuana

While hemp and marijuana are both from the plant Cannabis sativa, they are actually different varieties of the plant and their chemical components are different.

There are many chemical components (called phytocannabinoids) in the Cannabis plant.

Two phytocannabinoids that are abundantly found in the Cannabis plant are CBD (Cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

While both CBD and THC work on the brain on a cellular level (and to some extent in organs and tissues in the immune system), the chemical properties of CBD and THC are very different. THC is psychoactive and it is this chemical compound that is present in rather high amount in marijuana.

To give you some perspective: In marijuana, the THC content is about 10-15 percent, and the CBD content is very low. In hemp, the THC content is about 0.3 to 1.5 percent, whereas a high level of CBD (about 40 percent) is present.

So... ingesting hemp won't make you or your dog "high", and that's why CBD hemp is legal worldwide whereas marijuana is restricted or illegal in many countries.

What Exactly is CBD?

As mentioned above, CBD is a phytocannabinoid (a naturally-occuring chemical compound). It has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has calming effects on the nervous system.

CBD is extracted in oil form and is often sold mixed in with other hemp oil extracts in different concentrations.

CBD hemp oil contains 70 to 80 percent of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and about 10 percent of saturated fats. It is a good source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, in the ratio of 3:1.

Is CBD Oil Safe for Dogs?

CBD is very safe. In fact, no documented studies have been found to show any undesirable effects caused by CBD. On the contrary, there are quite a few studies that show many benefits of CBD.

CBD Hemp Oil Benefits for Dogs

Because of its calming, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory properties, CBD oil benefits to dogs are wide and varied.

Although there has been very few research on the effects of CBD hemp oil on dogs, there are a lot of anecdotal reports, both from visitors to my site and on various forums and platforms on the Internet, that attest to CBD oil's positive effects on dogs.

Specifically, vets and pet owners have used hemp oil on dogs, with good results, for these canine problems:

• Skin Issues: Dogs with skin issues, such as canine eczema, dandruff, acne, and dry nose, respond well to the topical and internal use of hemp oil.

  In addition, benign growths (e.g. fatty tumors) seem to respond well to hemp oil.

  This should not be a surprise since hemp oil is rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory.

• Joint Pain and Arthritis:

  Studies such as this showed that CBD benefited various types of arthritis, including joint damage, while another study showed that CBD can reduce pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

  Again, this should not be a surprise since hemp oil has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, it should be effective in relieving aches and pains caused by arthritis and joint problems in dogs.

• Anxiety: CBD has calming and soothing properties, and various scientific studies are being carried out to find out how exactly it works on the nervous system. While many of these studies are still on-going, many doctors have already started using CBD hemp such as hemp oil as a treatment option for anxiety and stress in people.

  Dogs with anxiety should also be able to benefit from these effects. In fact, a lot of dog parents swear by hemp oil when it comes to dog anxiety, such as separation anxiety.

• Seizures: Studies such as this one have shown that CBD hemp has "anticonvulsant properties in animal models and reduced seizure frequency in limited human trials."

  Many dog parents who don't want to put their epileptic dogs on medications, or would like to reduce the dosage of medications, have tried to use hemp oil or hemp biscuits to help their dogs.

  Since there is no information on dosage and how it interacts with conventional medicines, if you want to try using CBD oil for your epileptic dog, be sure to work with a holistic vet.

• Nausea and Vomiting: Research on humans showed that CBD hemp was effective in treating both vomiting and nausea. It has also been shown that CBD hemp could help to lessen nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Good news for cancer patients!

  If your dog has motion sickness, or is suffering from nausea and/or vomiting brought on by chemo, it is definitely worth trying to use hemp to alleviate the symptoms.

• Cognitive Dysfunction: The antioxidative properties of hemp protect neurotoxicity, so it may help enhance cognitive functions in aging dogs.
• Cancer: There are also anecdotal reports on dog parents using hemp as a complementary treatment for their dogs with cancer. Talk to your vet if you want to use hemp in conjunction with other cancer treatment (e.g. chemotherapy).

  Since there are different types of cancer, and dogs respond to treatment differently, hemp may or may not work for your dog. But it does provide an additional option.

How To Choose A Good Hemp Oil Product for Your Dog

Not all hemp products are the same.

When looking for hemp products for your dog, make sure that it is of high-quality, made from organic hemp seed oil.

Also, some hemp oil contains only CBD. But for a natural plant product to work effectively, "synergy" is important - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

By that I mean the chemical components in a plant work together to create the desirable effects. If you extract only one component, it doesn't work as well. So, look for a product that has good ratios of numerous cannabinoids and other compounds, not just CBD.