The reason cannabidiol has become so popular is that several scientific studies have revealed that the chemical is potent and has been found to treat several illnesses. Until recently, many people thought of the chemical as unsafe and so avoided it and tried to convince others to stay away as well.
This rejection was mostly because the chemical and marijuana are both connected to the cannabis plant. The cannabis plant has two popular strains, namely, hemp and marijuana. The latter is what most people know as weed. Initially, like weed, people thought CBD oil for dogs was also stimulating and intoxicating. But this narrative is quickly changing as more people now know that CBD isn’t psychoactive.
If you’re a dog owner and are concerned, this is understandable. We all love our pets, and we ensure everything we give to them is safe. CBD has safely been used by many dog owners and they’ve reported that it is effective in treating several illnesses including anxiety and arthritis. We’ll go into more detail later in this article.
Caring for Your Dog’s Mental Health
As a dog owner, one of the hardest things about assuming this responsibility is seeing your pet in any form of pain. Usually, we can tell when our dog is in physical pain since they whimper. Immediately we notice this, we rush over to our vet to know what’s wrong and how we can make the pain go away.
But do you know that like us humans, our pets also suffer from emotional and mental pains? This may come as a surprise to some of you but it’s true, and unknown to many pet owners, their dogs are going through this. If you have a breed that clings to you every chance it gets, you may want to pay closer attention to this.
The type of attachment that dogs have to their owners and family vary between breeds. Some breeds are attention-seekers and can be very clingy, which makes them very adorable, and we love them even more. There are also breeds that are more laid-back and would quite often keep to their selves, on your couch, of course. But this is not to say these breeds love you any less than the other ones, they are just wired that way.
Now, attention-seeking ones like the Yorkshire Terrier, Australian Shepard, and Bichon Frise are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. All breeds suffer from anxiety, especially separation anxiety, which is very common with attention-loving breeds. Anxiety in and of itself isn’t a bad thing. As a matter of fact, it is a healthy emotion, but high anxiety levels could lead to other health issues if left unattended. Click here to learn more about the Bichon Frise.
You can tell if your pet has anxiety when it continuously does the following:
- Howling and barking when you’re not around
- Shivering
- Panting and pacing
- Hiding in corners of in the house
- Unwillingness to engage in usual fun activities, and so on.
Causes of Anxiety in Dogs
There are several things that can cause anxiety in a dog. One notable one, especially in breeds that require a lot of attention is separation from their family. Leaving them alone in the house for work is enough to cause anxiety. There’s also the case of age-related anxiety in older pets.
As dog ages, certain cognitive functions begin to decline, a condition that is associated with cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS). Important cognitive functions like learning, awareness, memory, and perception decline in dogs with CDS, which eventually leads to anxiety.
There’s also fear-related anxiety that is caused by things that scare the dog. Some of them include loud noises, car rides, unfamiliar faces, vet visitation, and so on.
CBD Works for Anxiety Treatment
Based on reports from pet parents that administer the chemical to their ailing pet, it works. Although there isn’t any conclusive scientific proof of its effects on dogs, several studies show that the chemical is effective in treating this condition in humans.
However, several observational studies have been carried out and most suggest that cannabidiol may be helpful in the treatment of anxiety in canines. One study involved 98 dogs that exhibited symptoms of anxiety. The subjects were administered CBD for 14 days, the time considered to be enough for the chemical to take effect in a dog’s behavior.
At the end of the 14-day period, the pet owners completed a survey that revealed that the chemical had a positive effect on the pets. Based on observations from the pet owners, the symptoms of the condition decreased.
Although the results were positive, it must be noted that observational studies aren’t conclusive as they have limitations; the main one being that there’s no control group. That said, the fact that a significant percentage of the sample group showed positive effects suggests strongly that the test material is effective.
CBD Works on Some Other Medical Conditions Too
Aside from anxiety, cannabidiol is also actively used in treating several other illnesses. Observational studies show that it reduces pain in dogs suffering from arthritis. There’s also anecdotal evidence pointing to its effectiveness in treating seizures, inflammation, and epilepsy in pets too.
Final Thoughts
Based on research on its effects on humans, scientists are positive that cannabidiol can help in treating many medical conditions. So far, it’s been found to be safe and the side effects that have been reported aren’t life-threatening. It is believed that with the right dosage, these side effects can be avoided.
