Dog owners are gradually shifting towards CBD products for their pets’ overall health and wellness. Recent studies show that CBD is equally effective in dogs as humans. It can help dogs with anxiety, mobility issues, digestion, coat health, stress, environmental changes, seizures, and even sleep hygiene.
CBD is legal in almost all U.S. states now, and pet parents can easily buy some of the best CBD products for dogs from various online and offline brands.
Still, many dog owners are not sure about the appropriate number of times they should give CBD to their ball. Don’t worry though; this article will clear all your confusion and help you make better and more informed choices for your pup.
What is CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a plant compound found mainly in cannabis sativa plants. There are 110+ such compounds in cannabis plants; CBD is the most researched and widely used one till date.
CBD for dogs, like treats and oils, is made by mixing a cannabinoid extract with edible material and flavorings. Only hemp-derived CBD is used for pet CBD products, as it has very low amounts of psychoactive compound THC.
THC is further removed during the filtration process, so pet CBD products are completely free from THC. Hence, there’s no risk of your dog getting high on some CBD treats or oil. You can safely give it daily, as long as you follow the dosage guidelines properly.
People like CBD over general medicines because it produces multiple healing and therapeutic effects by working on the endocannabinoid system present in all mammals, including humans and dogs.
How many times should I give CBD to my dog?
The safe and widely accepted standard is two times a day. For example, one CBD treat in the morning and one with dinner. Depending on when the anxiety, pain, or stress symptoms peak, you can divide the dosage appropriately.
It’s not a hard and fast rule, though; you can increase or decrease the frequency based on how severe or normal your dog’s symptoms are.
If your pup doesn’t like chews, then you can mix CBD oil in their food bowl or even directly drop it in their mouth. There are also flavored options these days, like peanut butter or salmon, which helps mask hemp’s odd and earthy taste.
CBD treats are especially effective during car rides or the festive season, as this is the time when dogs feel most anxious because of changes in the environment and loud noises.
Factors to Consider when decoding CBD dosage for dogs
There’s no international guideline to this, so it’s crucial to plant out this process properly. Let’s take a look at some important factors :
Size & Weight: Your dog’s size and weight matter because bigger dogs usually need more CBD than smaller ones. It’s like how a big person might need more medicine than a little kid. You need to know exactly how much your dog weighs to figure out the right amount of CBD. It’s best to follow the weight and dosage chart available on the product page or package.
Potency & Condition: A dog with a little anxiety might not need as much CBD as a dog in a lot of pain. Hence, the strength of the CBD product is crucial. You need to check how much CBD is in each drop or treat to administer the appropriate amount. If you don’t wanna risk it, then it’s best to discuss it with your vet first. Every dog will react differently, so it’s best to start with a small amount and adjust it over time.
Quality of Product: The CBD market is quite unregulated, and mislabelling is a common issue in the industry. So you should try to buy CBD for your dog only from reputed and well-tested brands. Make sure to check the product’s lab test report, ingredient quality, and extraction process used in making. Try to get products made from the C02 method, as it’s the cleanest and safest extraction process.
What are the benefits of CBD for dogs?
There are many ways in which CBD can potentially improve your dog’s life. First, it can curb arthritic pain and inflammation in older dogs within the very first month of usage. Regular topical application of CBD oil on dogs’ skin can soothe itchiness and significantly bring down discomfort by the end of the second month.
During loud noises, travel, and separation from the owner, CBD dosage can calm your dog’s nerves and reduce their anxiety and stress. CBD also helps dogs with behavioral issues, such as excessive barking or sniffing.
It can trigger the release of happy hormones by interacting with certain receptors in the brain and improving your dog’s mood. Last but not least, CBD can boost your dog’s immunity, improve their digestion, help with sleep routine, improve cardiovascular health, and also improve their mobility and recovery speed.
Conclusion
To sum it up, for best results, you can give CBD to your dogs two times in a day. It’s completely safe and won’t cause any side effects as long as you follow the dosage guidelines mentioned on the product page.
You can mix it in their food or directly drop it in their mouth, based on how aggressive or calm your dog’s behavior is. Don’t expect good results overnight, and at least try it for a month before considering other options.
Regular use can help your dog with travel anxiety, environmental stress, disrupted sleep, digestion, fur health, mobility, and pain, and may also lead to faster recovery. Just make sure to buy CBD for your dog from trusted and well-tested sources like Colorado Botanicals.