CBD oil was once seen as an eccentric California health fad. But today this hemp plant extract is reinventing veterinary medicine and how dog owners nurture their aging, anxious, and infirm pups from head to tail. Within just a few short years, CBD has skyrocketed in popularity thanks to its ability to enhance canine comfort and well-being in a customizable yet affordable way. With demand for natural remedies booming and new therapeutic benefits emerging, CBD oil promises to revolutionize how we care for man’s best friend as it transforms from niche to mainstream. What makes this unique cannabinoid so effective for the canine population? How does CBD combat some of the most common health issues plaguing today’s beloved pets? Which symptoms and conditions seem to respond best?
- Reduces pain and inflammation
- Like their human owners, dogs grapple with debilitating arthritic joint changes and injury-induced nerve damage as they age. Chronic or uncontrolled pain decreases mobility while accelerating the loss of healthy muscle mass and bone density. It also negatively impacts energy levels, mood, and overall well-being.
- However, CBD oil shows immense potential for improving joint comfort and flexibility in arthritic dogs thanks to its analgesic (pain killing) and potent anti-inflammatory properties.
- In multiple trials, regular cbd oil for dogs supplementation meaningfully improved subjective assessments of pain and inflammation while increasing overall physical activity and quality of life in dogs with osteoarthritis and mobility issues. Researchers also noted faster recovery from nerve damage and surgery in subjects receiving daily CBD.
- Beyond musculoskeletal pain, CBD calms gastrointestinal inflammation underlying bowel irritability, nausea, and loss of appetite as well. According to veterinarians, CBD shows immense promise as a multi-modal painkiller that also addresses underlying swelling and inflammation for complete relief.
- Mitigates treatment-resistant seizures
Roughly 5% percent of dogs suffer from epilepsy – a complex neurological condition characterized by recurrent, uncontrolled electrical storms in the brain that manifest as seizures. Attacks range from mild twitches to frightening convulsions that endanger the animal’s safety. While conventional anticonvulsant medications help control seizures in about two-thirds of affected dogs, they come with extensive adverse effects and don’t work for every pup. However, emerging research suggests CBD stops seizures in their tracks even for previously non-responsive dogs. Exciting clinical data shows over 80% of epileptic dogs given CBD in addition to standard meds experienced a marked to moderate decrease in attack frequency and severity. As an added perk, CBD also alleviates medication side effects like lethargy, incoordination, restlessness, and liver toxicity. Talk about a triple threat!
- Eases anxiety and phobias
Does your dog struggle with separation distress, thunderstorm terror, car sickness or other anxious behaviors that negatively impact their life? Up to 20% of dogs grapple with anxiety that may present as trembling, destruction, house soiling and more.
While the origins of canine anxiety differ widely between individuals, the calming effects CBD oil provides by augmenting serotonin and anandamide activity in the nervous system remain the same. By increasing the availability of these critical neurotransmitters, CBD soothes anxious thoughts and programmed fear responses. In trial settings, a single dose of CBD oil significantly reduced acute stress and associated vocalizations induced by unfamiliar people or environments. Subjects were also less avoidant and destructive following CBD administration. Chronic low-dose CBD supplementation reduces baseline anxiety scores and noise reactivity as well over time.
