Learn More About CBD-Based Dog Treats, and Why You Might Need It – For a lot of us, our dogs are much more than just pets. They are family, and without them, we might as well be a lot more miserable, lonely, and depressed. In many ways, a dog can improve our lives significantly, to the point of becoming one of the many reasons why we can wake up in the morning and our best.
Sadly, dogs, just like ourselves, can suffer from a solid number of diseases and conditions that can affect their health on many different levels. Some of these diseases can cause them a lot of pain, while others might affect their mental health to the point of causing even more diseases and health-related issues.
Back in the day, it was very common to handle most problems with drugs. Anti-inflammatories and pain killers are very good examples, yet these drugs are famous for being harmful to their health, especially in the long-term run. They not only cause a lot of damages to their lives, but they can also even cause depression, which can affect them considerably if left alone!
That is why alternative methods of treatment have been on the rise over the last couple of years, and one of the most popular choices out there is, of course, CBD. There are many presentations of this particular compound, and it is very easy to shop for dog treats containing CBD nowadays.
However, a lot of pet owners are reluctant of using it, solely because, as many people know, CBD-based products are very familiar to the cannabis plant. What most people ignore is that they are quite different, but how different are they?
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The Basics of CBD
The first thing you need to know is that CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is a chemical compound that is found in the cannabis plant. Along with THC, they are both the primary compounds of the plant, and they are what pretty much provide the health benefits that make them so famous.
However, contrary to THC, CBD cannot get you high under any circumstances, and there’s a reason for that: CBD is actually non-psychoactive. All products that use CBD as their main compound are, as well, non-psychoactive, since they only contain around 0.3% of THC, which is not enough to cause an effect.
This is because they derive from a familiar cannabis plant known as the hemp plant, with a chemical structure that has low levels of THC and much higher levels of CBD. For humans, this might not be such a great deal, but for dogs, this is absolutely essential, and we will let you know why.
The Endocannabinoid System
The reason why both THC and CBD can provide certain health benefits is because of the endocannabinoid system, which, as showcased at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocannabinoid_system is a compound of neurotransmitters that are in charge of many physiological functions of the body.
The inflammatory responses our body has when injuries and damage causes, the way our body releases cortisol (Known as the stress hormone). And also, the way we sleep and handle anxiety and stress levels, on these neurotransmitters.
The thing is: THC is a lot more aggressive than CBD, which is the reason why we get high, since it can pretty much affect our five senses, memory, and even the way reacts to external stimuli. Although humans can handle this reaction, animals cannot, mainly because their endocannabinoid systems are a lot stronger and more sensitive and can be easily overwhelm by THC.
On the other hand, CBD is a lot gentler and can provide all the benefits of medicinal cannabis without its side effects, making it a much more dependable choice for both humans and animals, and of course, a must if you want to try out the benefits for your pets.
Choosing the Right Product
Now, there are many products you can pick from, but if you are a pet owner and you are thinking of using it in your pet, you either go for oils, or for edibles. Oils are very similar to edibles, since they provide pretty much the same benefits, as shown over here.
However, oils might not be as appealing to animals as treats, and this is one of the reasons why they recommend for pet owners instead. They are not only a lot more attractive to them but also, they are much easier to manage and regulate, which is very important if you want to avoid side effects such as diarrhea and vomiting. If you get the dosage right, these side effects can be easily avoid, and this is much feasible if you get your hands on treats instead.
Extra Information You Should Know
Both oils and treats usually take 30 minutes to kick in and can provide a relaxing, alleviating effect for as much as 5 hours, but this also depends on the dosage you give to your dog.
The best approach you can take is to provide your dog with a small dosage based on the recommendation amount given to you by your provider, which might take into consideration things like weight, age, and size, then go up from there until your dog is alleviated from the symptoms it is dealing with.
More often than not, CBD-based dog treats are used to deal with pain, inflammation, and anxiety, but they can also be used to handle appointments to the vet (if the veterinarian allows it), visits to a professional groomer, or to handle the stress caused by separation anxiety, a frequent problem in dogs that have been recently adopted.