The Benefits for CBD Oil for Pets

Did you know that Cannabidiol (CBD) can have a positive effect on your cat, dog, and all the different kinds of animals you keep at home? Mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles, have all been found to have an endocannabinoid system. This means that if you have had a positive experience with CBD, your pets can most likely have one too! Now, before you share your favorite CBD product with your beloved pet, it's good to take a few things into consideration, so keep on reading! Generally, what’s good for you should be also good for your pet. But obviously, as every human is different and can have a different reaction to CBD products, so can animals have a completely different experience with CBD. As there are not enough studies to set a golden standard for CBD administration to humans, there’s even less knowledge on how CBD products work on animals. The rule of thumb is starting slow, with a really small amount of CBD, and see how the animal reacts.  If the benefits of CBD oils can be seen in humans, they can definitely have value for pets as well. First of all, you have to make sure that the CBD oil you administer to your pets is safe, so let's explore how CBD is made and what different options are available.

What is CBD Oil? How is CBD Oil for Pets Made?

Cannabidiol, CBD in short, is the main active ingredient in the cannabis plant. Most of the CBD is concentrated in the resin glands in the cannabis flower. Therefore, to separate CBD from the plant matter, we have to strip off the resin. There are several different methods to obtain the CBD-rich cannabis resin. While some are more efficient than others in terms of yields. The CBD hemp extraction method with supercritical CO2, the one that we use at Essentia Pura facility, is proven to be the most effective in terms of safety. We do not cut any corners when it comes to the quality of our CBD oil! We are extremely confident, that our Full-Spectrum CBD oils contain no residual harmful chemicals which are leftover in solvent extractions. Your and your pet's safety in the first step of the product manufacturing process is assured. Now let's move to the formulation.

Full Spectrum, Broad spectrum or Isolate only?

We believe that full-spectrum CBD products are the most effective for humans. Most likely, we can project the same experience we have to the animal world. But with most positive effects, there is also a greater possibility for the manifestation of negative effects. The full-spectrum CBD oil contains trace amounts of THC! As animals share the same endocannabinoid system as we do, they can also be intoxicated by THC in the same way. With proper and careful dosing, the negative side effects from the full spectrum oils can be in most cases avoided. But if you prefer to be on the safer side, the broad spectrum CBD oil is a better option. (THC free) Some animals are also sensitive to terpenes found in hemp. So the safest, but also most likely the least effective, is a formulation of CBD drops for pets with CBD isolate. Formulations with CBD isolate are also the safest way for young animals that are still developing and learning.

Don't forget the carrier oils!

Carrier oils act as a base for the CBD extract to be diluted in. The final mixture provides better bioavailability and dosing accuracy. As carrier oils make the most part of CBD drops, they might be even more important than the CBD extract itself when it comes to unwanted reactions in your pets. We offer our CBD drops in three different carrier oils: - Cold-pressed Olive oil. Probably the most praised oil in culinary. (loved by humans, but probably not all animals will find it fancy) -Hemp seed oil. A healthy cold-pressed oil, rich in healthy fats, fats, vitamins, and minerals. (offers the whole plant experience, but has the same issue as the Olive oil above) -MCT oil. Has a neutral taste, provides the longest shelf life, and offers the best bioavailability. (potentially the best option, but larger servings might result in digestive discomfort) The carrier oils above are widely accepted as the best for human use. But for animals, we propose a formulation with a different carrier oil.

-Salmon fish oil.

This carrier oil has all the necessary traits of the above options while also providing smell and flavor appealing to pets. (the downsides are that this product is not vegan. Some pets might also reject the taste or have an allergic or similar reaction to it) Salmon fish oil has many health benefits on its own! It is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that support a healthy immune system, cardiovascular system, promotes healthy skin and coat while also improving cognitive function. Although if counted in drops, it won't add much value. That's why we propose CBD oil for pets to be formulated for 30ml bottles. Having a 2.5% or 5% CBD concentration in 30ml dropper bottles, the dosing of CBD becomes easier. And this way the intake of healthy wild Alaskan salmon oil is also increased!

CBD Oil For Dogs

To summarise, there are many options available, and its very hard to put the finger on one and say this is the best. Our friends from the animal kingdom vary in size, age, and the conditions they need to have treated. There is just no “one size fits all”. There is however more data on CBD administration to our best four-legged companions. CBD can benefit dogs in many different ways. As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, CBD works for animals in the same way as in humans, it promotes homeostasis. Cannabidiols action can be seen in dogs’ proper function,  which is reflected in their shape and behavior. Too little scientific data is available to make any full proof claims on how the CBD impacts the animal. But the internet is swarmed with happy dog owners which used CBD to just improve their dogs' health. Some even used CBD oil to treat epilepsy in dogs or using CBD oil for dogs with heart problems. But dog owners have seen an improvement of dogs mobility, immune system, improvements in healthier teeth, skin, and coat. CBD helped with dogs' pain and inflammation, loss of appetite, anxiety, and noise phobia. CBD is also showing great potential in treating dog breed anomalies! Obviously, with this wide array of health benefits, there could also be some dangers involved. Undesirable side effects might come up if the dog is not used to CBD or has perhaps taken too much of the products. These negative reactions can be seen as dry-mouth (dehydration), low blood pressure (drowsiness), disorientation (lightheadedness), vomiting (nausea). With proper dosing, our dog should not experience the problems above. The CBD dosage depends on the size of your pet and is as follows:

Administration of CBD to Dogs

There are several routes of administration of CBD to your dogs. The most effective would be to dose the CBD oil directly into dogs mouth, in the best scenario to rub it against dogs gums. While it sounds easy, this option can be sometimes hard to execute in practice. A more simple way would be to just mix the drops directly onto the dogs’ meal, or into his bowl of water. After you start giving your pet CBD, it is wise to keep a journal and track progress.

The CBD Pet Market

CBD has taken the pet market by storm. From CBD dog treats to CBD-infused stuffed animal toys, the CBD pet market increased by nearly 1000% in 2020 alone. Most of these products are not yet backed by scientific research and it is hard to measure their effectiveness without trying them. But many pet owners are betting on CBD as their go-to for treating ailments of their dear pets.  Obviously, it is not wise to take CBD without asking your veterinarian for advice first. In case your pet is already undergoing treatment with other medicine, possible dangerous interactions with CBD could arise. Although veterinarians, similar to doctors and pharmacists, might often simply deny the positive effects of CBD and try to avoid this discussion. This is simply because the source of CBD comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant, which legal status is still very questionable in most parts of the world. On the other hand, if you see the veterinary clinic filled with all kinds of different pet products with CBD, the situation might raise flags. The personnel might just be jumping on the CBD bandwagon and try to make a profit, especially if the clinic has its own brand of CBD. This judgement is mostly left to you and is mostly related to the trust you built over time with the veterinarian.

But always be sure to check the following:

-The CBD extract for pets should be derived with carbon dioxide, which leaves no harmful solvents behind -The origin of the hemp and the carrier oil should be non-GMO and from organic sources, as there are no residuals of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in the final product -The product should be without any artificial colour and flavours. Only natural extracts of spices and herbs or medicinal plants should be incorporated. -3rd party lab testing, which adds another layer of credibility to the product At Essentia Pura, the white label CBD pet products specialist, we always strive to meet the criteria above when manufacturing CBD products. We make no difference in the quality when producing CBD for human consumption, CBD for cats, CBD for horses. Quality is always our number one priority. If made and dosed properly, CBD should have minimal side effects and could be less dangerous than traditional medicine. But you should never replace the treatment your veterinarian prescribed with CBD, especially without your veterinarian's approval. 

If you are interested in white-label CBD for pets, do not hesitate to contact us! We will help you find the perfect CBD formulation that you can share with the animal world.