CBD, or Cannabidiol, has become immensely popular amongst dog owners. While researchers have delved really deep into how CBD affects pets, there’s still a lot of myth floating around on the issue.
Thus, there’s a lot of unverified, inaccurate, and even outdated information on how CBD affects dogs. In this article, we’ll be debunking the misconceptions so you know which is right for your favorite pet, and which isn’t!
First Myth: CBD Can Cause Liver Damage for Dogs
Yes, the consumption of CBD in large amounts can indeed lead to liver damage or liver enzyme elevation in your dog. However, the likelihood of this is very low, as CBD products are designed to be pet-friendly.
You can choose from different kinds of CBD products for your dog. If you come across a product that has the label “Isolate”, avoid it. Rather, look for CBD products with the label “Full-spectrum” like the Creating Brighter Days CBD OIL.
These products contain multiple types of cannabinoids. They come with different other plant extracts as well. Through extensive research, researchers came to the conclusion that taking a blend of different CBDs doesn’t lead to liver damage. In fact, the pet-friendly CBD products come with different kinds of CBDs in low amounts to ensure they’re safe while offering a “Full-spectrum” effect.
Second Myth: You Should Give Your Dog CBD for Anxiousness Only
Then there’s this belief that you should administer CBD to your dog only when it’s stressed. While CBD can help with anxiousness, mental stress isn’t the only aspect it can help your dog with.
In fact, CBD is great for locating and recuperating stress within your cellular tissues. So, you can give your old dog CBD for better bone joint function as well! However, note that you need to use a combination of CBD and THC at certain ratios for the best results. Administering CBD and THC at the ratio of 2:1-10:1 is considered a standard.
The mixture of different CBD compounds likely triggers the entourage effect in your dog. The entourage effect claims that the mixture of different CBD compounds at a specific ratio can trigger therapeutic effects in your dog. While this is still a theory and is yet to be proved, a lot of dog owners do validate this.
Third Myth: Your Dog Can Build up CBD Tolerance over Time
Unlike human beings, dogs, or most pets for that matter, don’t build up CBD tolerance over time. Well, they just might if you administer them with more CBD than necessary. However, if you maintain the ratio of CBD: THC 2:1-10:1.
If you want to prevent your dog from building up CBD tolerance, then you’ll have to be careful about how much CBD you give him. Remember that tolerance will build up only when you administer medium to high doses of THC for the long term.
For example, if your dog requires CBD for bone support, then you’re likely to use a CBD isolate oil. For the first few months, you’ll find your dog healthier, more active, and more playful. However, you’ll find the bones stiffer in the later months, and your dog will become idle. In this stage, you’ll have to increase the amount.
A good way to avoid this is to provide small breaks from time to time. Instead of using the product at a stretch, keep short breaks to prevent tolerance build-up.
However, this only happens when your dog is taking the “Isolate” CBD products. This is because these products only offer a single type of CBD in great amounts, thus overwhelming the CBD receptors of your pet.
So, tolerance buildup can also be avoided by offering a healthy ratio of THC and CBD. In this case, the balance of different components offers more benefits, and it also keeps the receptors stable.
Then again, it’s found that dogs that are taking a balance of CBD and THC from young ages require slightly higher doses later. This isn’t because of heightened tolerance, but rather aging. Aging increases the stress points in your dog’s body, thus increasing CBD requirements.
Fourth Myth: CBD Can’t Be Used with Prescription Drugs
Yes, you can administer your dog with CBD alongside prescription drugs. However, you can do so in low doses only. So, why can’t we do this in higher doses?
It’s because certain prescription drugs are metabolized by the p450 enzymes in your liver. However, CBD in high doses can decrease how effective these enzymes can be. This has the potential of decreasing the effect of the prescription drug. Thus, it’s recommended that if you give your dog CBD along with prescription drugs, give it in small amounts.
A blend of THC and CBD at an optimum ratio appears to be working in this case as well. You can administer your dog with the standard dose without much of a problem, as this amount is known to be well-tolerated by dogs.
Final Myth: THC is Toxic to Dogs
Like most other substances in the world, THC can be toxic to your dog when it’s administered in extremely high doses. That doesn’t necessarily mean that small doses will harm your dog.
If you end up administering high doses of THC to your dog, it will show signs of dysphoria, vomiting, urinary leakage, inability to walk, etc. However, when given in small doses, it can actually help your pet with various issues. All you have to remember is the golden ratio of THC and CBD, and you should be good to go!
Conclusion
In conclusion, while we don’t recommend administering CBD to your dog at high doses, it can definitely be a lifesaver if used appropriately. Just remember that CBD has the best effects when it’s administered mixed with THC. Follow the ratio mentioned beforehand for the best possible results.
