The Side Effects of CBD Oil for Dogs and Cats

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Published at: May 17, 2021

The Side Effects of CBD Oil for Dogs and Cats | Innovet Pet

The health benefits of CBD (cannabidiol) have made it all the rage lately. More and more people and pet owners are beginning to uncover the magic of CBD products like CBD oil and pet CBD treats and all of their natural healing properties and benefits.

Before giving your dog CBD, you need to know what CBD is, the role it plays in health, etc. As well, you need to know that research regarding CBD and its benefits, along with the potential side effects, has not been heavily investigated in many dog and cat studies. Most of the participants of research on CBD and CBD products side effects have been people with animal studies mainly on rats. As such, if you're interested in using CBD oil for yourself, this article will have a lot of information for you. Many pet owners are taking CBD just as much as they are giving it to their dog or cat.

Safety Concerns about CBD for Dogs and Cats: What is CBD?

2. CBD Oil for Dogs and Cats: Side Effects

3. What are the Risks of CBD for Dogs and Cats?

4. Where to Buy CBD Oil for Cats and Dogs

However, Something to keep in mind is that cats, dogs, and people have very similar immune systems, brain pathways, and internal organ functioning. These minor different though incredibly similar commonalities mean that people parallel cats and dogs more than you might have previously thought. The few studies on CBD and dogs back this up.

With people responding to CBD in the same way that dogs and cats do, the outcomes of research and studies that focused on people’s use of CBD can be applied to the reactions that pets have to CBD. But the question remains: are CBD products safe for our pets?

As a pet owner, your biggest concern when it comes to your cat or dog is always their health. It can be scary to think about introducing something new to your pet without knowing everything there is to know about the product, especially when it comes to CBD oil. Don't worry we were the same way.

To release the hesitation and fear associated with trying CBD oil for cats and dogs, we suggest staying up-to-date on the latest findings and most current information. After all, there is already such a discrepancy between what people believe about CBD oil for pets and what is actually true of the substance.

How do you know if your pet will react positively to CBD oil? Well, you will never truly know until you give it a try, but our article will leave you calmer and more assured if you opt into CBD oil for dogs and cats or another similar CBD product. First, let’s dive into CBD oil and what it really is, and then we can talk more about the potential side effects of CBD and CBD products on dogs and cats.

dog holding innovet product

Before using CBD oil for yourself or giving your dog CBD, it's important to understand what CBD is. CBD is the shorthand version of a substance and a cannabinoid compound called cannabidiol. Since CBD is still on the rise, there are many misunderstandings that surround this plant-based soothing oil. As an alternative to THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, CBD can't cause a high and presents significantly lower potential side effects. In total, there are 113 known cannabinoids that have been found in cannabis which includes both hemp and marijuana plants to date. While CBD is derived from cannabis plants and sometimes marijuana plants, this is not what causes the feeling of being high that people associated with marijuana and cannabis. Marijuana itself does not cause changes in the brain, and subsequently, in the body. Instead, the actual cannabinoids that are extracted from these plants are what does or does not create the feeling of being high. But believe it or not, out of all the cannabinoids, there is only one cannabinoid found in cannabis that’s concentrated enough that, when consumed, causes the high sensation. That cannabinoid is tetrahydrocannabinol, which CBD products legally have to contain little to no THC. In the U.S., CBD products are legally allowed to contain trace amounts of it(0.3% or less). This is why it’s usually derived from hemp as hemp is naturally low in THC vs marijuana. Never will this percentage be enough to create psychoactive effects in your pets and nowhere near enough to cause a toxicity. But it is good to be aware of your pet’s reaction to even the smallest doses of THC as they are possible side effects with it. If your dog or cat has negative reactions to even the smallest amounts of THC, hope is not lost. Instead of looking for CBD, you can modify your search for pure CBD oil for pets. Pure and organic CBD comes straight from the hemp plant, rather than a marijuana plant. Hemp greatly eradicates any possibility that the CBD oil for dogs and cats can contain enough THC for possible side effects. Then, a reputable company will test their CBD for absolute safety. Since there is often a lot of confusion regarding the difference between hemp and marijuana plants, the assumption tends to be that CBD produces a body and mind high, just like THC. This is very inaccurate, however. CBD creates the calming effects that THC often ignites, though THC can sometimes provoke the opposite effect and cause a pet, or even a person, to become overly anxious and hyperactive. Since this is the exact behavior people are trying to achieve, THC can pose a risk of your pets experiencing an adverse reaction.Both THC and CBD work with the endocannabinoid system with CBD working naturally with the endocannabinoid system by mirroring self-created endocannabinoids. THC, on the other hand, pushes the endocannabinoid system past what’s naturally possible.

The biggest bonus of CBD oil is that there are very few side effects involved. Even better, nothing about CBD oil is fatal. An extremely high dose of CBD oil won’t lead to accidental death, simply due to the nature of CBD. This is not true for THC, as dogs are significantly more sensitive to it. There are a few side effects of CBD for dogs and cats that you should know about:

Increased levels of fatigue and sudden exhaustion
Uncharacteristic tiredness during daily activities
Drowsiness and loss of total muscle control
Decrease in paw-eye coordination
Thirst levels increase due to dry mouth effects of CBD oil
Slower heart rate and decrease in blood pressure as CBD oil sets in and body calms down

Essentially, CBD oil can cause your pet to feel sleepier than usual. In most cases, this just means that you should give them a lower dose of CBD oil next time. Also, if your dog or cat is not feeling particularly anxious, rowdy, or ill on a given day, the CBD oil may affect them more, making them even more tired. It’s a process of trial-and-error, but hopefully, it comforts you to know that the side effects of CBD oil for pets are very mild to non-existent for most. Some dry mouth is by far the most common complaint.Due to the temporary decrease in blood pressure, CBD may not be viable for a dog or cat with glaucoma. As well, ask your vet about CBD if your dog or cat is on any prescription medications that are metabolized in the liver. Last, because cannabis, including hemp, is a phytomediate plant, organic is always the way to go to avoid contamination from minerals that jeopardize the quality and safety of cannabidiol.

Now that you know about the side effects of CBD oil, you might be wondering about the risks associated with CBD oil for dogs and cats. Well, we are pleased to let you know that there are little to none.

This might sound too good to be true, but trust us when we tell you that there are little known risks of CBD oil for pets.

The biggest detrimental aspect of CBD is that the research of CBD side effects on dogs and cats is low. However, the findings gathered from research with humans and CBD has been applied to CBD oil for pets with confidence and backed by individual experiences.

The most comforting aspect of CBD oil is that the effects fade eventually. Depending on the dose you administer to your pet, the side effects can start to wear off within an hour, sometimes less when the dose is very low. However, CBD oil is nothing but natural medicine for your pet.CBD oil for cats and dogs is…

All-natural
Non-toxic
More readily accepted by the body than many prescription drugs
Can't cause a high
Impossible to OD on CBD

Because the use of CBD can help maintain general health along with its anti-inflammatory benefits and to help treat chronic pain, it has set off a flood of companies looking to make a quick buck off the popularity, jeopardizing the safety of CBD. This includes companies that make CBD for humans and those for animals.

When looking into companies that produce and sell CBD for dogs and cats, you will want to do some research.

Cannabis is an incredible plant, but especially with pets, marijuana can complicate some things. If you are eager to try CBD oil for your pets after looking into the health benefits, both mental and physical, then there are a few things to keep in mind.

Before giving your dog CBD oil products, know that your pet’s age and weight will play a role in how much CBD oil you should give your cat or dog at once.

While nothing life-threatening will happen to your pet should you accidentally administer a higher dose than necessary, your pet may become very tired and want to go off and sleep.

Now, using CBD at larger doses is fine. For some users, this is the desired outcome, and prefer a high dosage of CBD. But most cats and dogs don’t have issues with getting enough sleep so dosages tend to stay lower. As well, higher doses can bring out heavier CBD side effects.

Buying CBD oil for your dog or cat to help improve and maintain their health is an exciting first step to creating a calmer mind and healthy body.

But where do you turn to when you’re ready to purchase CBD oil for pets? Look no further than Innovet!

We produce the finest organic CBD dog treats and CBD oils for cats and dogs. And, we just don’t stop at the cannabinoids to achieve a higher quality CBD product; we use hemp seed oil for a lower calorie carrier oil.

Our CBD hemp dog treats are delicious, and our soft chews are a chewy fun treat for your dog or cat.

View our inventory of CBD products for pets today! And remember, the quality of your pet's health is of absolute importance, so feel free to contact us with any questions.

At Innovet Pet, our goal is to always provide CBD products whose quality and safety are always unmatched. We treat your pet's health as if they were our own.

The Side Effects of CBD Oil for Dogs and Cats

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