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How to Give CBD Oil to Dogs: 8 Health and Safety Tips
You may have heard that CBD oil for pets can help your dog and want to try it out. If you do, you should first understand how to give CBD oil to dogs so that you can do so safely while helping your dog experience maximum relief and benefits. Read on to learn more!
Benefits of Giving CBD Oil to Dogs
Deciding whether or not to give CBD oil to your dog depends on your dog’s needs and the desired benefits you hope your dog receives. Since there can be adverse side effects, it is always essential to talk with a veterinarian before giving anything new to your dog. Giving CBD oil to dogs has many benefits to explore, including soothing anxiety, helping with pain and inflammation, treating seizures, etc.
Soothes Anxiety
CBD has been shown to help soothe anxiety and provide a sense of calmness in dogs. This benefit can help whether your dog is experiencing separation anxiety or anxiety caused by loud noises, such as fireworks.
Helps with Pain and Inflammation
Dogs suffering from arthritis are dealing with a lot of pain and inflammation. CBD oil helps dogs cope with these discomforts. This is a fantastic benefit for your dog and you as an owner to help give relief and not have to watch them suffer.
Treat Seizures
Studies done on the use of CBD to help treat seizures in humans have shown encouraging results. Just as CBD is showing positive effects on seizure disorders in humans, it’s also giving positive results to dogs suffering from seizures. CBD oil seems to help stabilize neural activity in these dogs suffering from seizures.
Potential Heart Health
If your dog is prone to heart problems or currently suffering from them, using CBD can bring an added measure of help and comfort to your dog. By lessening anxiety and promoting better sleep, CBD can help your dog cope with heart problems. Also, by managing those symptoms and things like pain and inflammation, you could encourage good heart health in your dog by keeping them healthier overall.
Sleep Aid
If your dog is restless and has difficulty getting good sleep, then CBD oil can provide the benefit of a sleep aid. It promotes more restful sleep in addition to a sense of calmness. CBD oil can help your dog settle and ensure you and your sweet pet get the rest you need to stay healthy.
Relieve Itching and Skin Irritation
Some promising results in studies have shown CBD use to be beneficial in relieving itching and skin irritation in dogs. If you have a dog that suffers from these conditions, you will find a lot of hope in using CBD to give them relief. As CBD oil reduces your dog’s itchiness, constant scratching and chewing will be reduced, resulting in fewer open wounds from scratching and chewing and a happier, more peaceful pup.
Potential Side Effects of CBD for Dogs
As with any supplements or medications, you should be aware that CBD for dogs can have potential side effects. When used correctly and given in the proper dosage, these side effects should not be too concerning, but it is good to be aware of them.
Drowsiness
CBD use in dogs may cause drowsiness. If your dog is more tired than usual or very lethargic, check with your vet and see what adjustments you should make. Your dog may need a lower dosage of CBD to get the benefits without the adverse side effects of drowsiness.
Dry Mouth
You’ll know if your dog is experiencing dry mouth if it becomes excessively thirsty after taking CBD. Be sure to give them plenty of water and consult your vet on the next steps. A lower dosage may help curb this side effect and keep your dog comfortable.
Nausea or Diarrhea
Using CBD can cause gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and diarrhea. Gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea or vomiting could be a sign that you may have given a dose that is too high. Always consult your vet on the best action to deal with this adverse side effect. They may recommend giving a lower dose and also giving your dog their CBD dose with food to help curb some gastrointestinal issues.
Appetite Changes
Along with the above-mentioned gastrointestinal effects, appetite changes may also be a side effect of CBD use in dogs. You must adjust the dosage if your dog is not eating their average or recommended daily intake while taking CBD. Starting with a very low dose and slowly increasing from there can help you avoid the side effects of appetite changes and the other side effects already mentioned.
8 Health and Safety Tips for Giving CBD Oil to Dogs
With the benefits and possible side effects in mind, it’s time to get into how to give CBD oil to dogs safely so they stay healthy and enjoy maximum benefits from CBD usage. Here are eight health and safety tips to keep in mind.
1. Check the CBD Quality
Your pup is part of the family, and they deserve the best quality product. Some manufacturers out there are trying to make a quick buck, and they aren’t always honest on their labels about what is actually in the bottle. To check the CBD quality, ask the company you are researching for a certificate of analysis (COA). If they cannot offer this to you, then they’re not offering a quality product, and you’ll want to go with a different company.
A certificate of analysis means that the company has gone through third-party lab tests to ensure that what’s on the label is what is actually in the bottle. When purchasing CBD for your dog from a company that can provide a COA, you’re given the peace of mind that you’re getting a quality product free of harmful additives and substances.
2. Start with a Low Dose and Increase As Needed
When you start giving CBD to a dog, starting with a very low dose is essential. This step minimizes the risk of extreme adverse side effects. As you see how your dog handles the low dose, you can increase as needed until your dog experiences the maximum benefits their CBD dosage can offer them without any adverse side effects.
The dosage amount you give will depend on the size of your dog. Always consult with your vet to ensure the dose you start with is appropriate and the maximum dose you give is also suitable.
3. Always Avoid THC
There should be no THC in the CBD you give your dog. THC is the cannabinoid present in cannabis plants that causes psychoactive effects. Hemp plants have a THC level of 0.3% or less, and you want your CBD for dogs to be extracted from these hemp plants. The CBD can then be filtered further to ensure no THC exists in the CBD oil for dogs.
THC is harmful to dogs and can cause cannabis toxicity, which can result in highly adverse effects in dogs. Dog’s brains have sensitive cannabinoid receptors, and this causes their bodies not to be able to handle any THC. If you choose a quality CBD from a company with a certificate of analysis, you’ll have the peace of mind that your CBD oil doesn’t contain any THC.
4. Monitor Your Pup After Administration
Don’t just administer CBD and walk away. Always monitor your pup afterward to ensure there are no adverse side effects. If you need to leave for work quickly in the morning, then choose a different time of day when you know you will be home for a while to keep an eye on your pup.
The sooner you can catch any adverse effects, the sooner you can get your dog the help they might need. On the other hand, monitoring your pup after administration can help you observe the positive benefits your pup receives as they happen so you know that the dosage amount you’ve given was correct.
5. Stay Consistent with CBD Use
No matter what time of day you give CBD to your pup, you must stay consistent with their CBD use. You won’t see the benefits if you are sporadic in administering doses by missing days here and there or even going a week or so at a time without giving your dog CBD. Consistency will allow the CBD to do what it should in your dog’s body to provide the needed support and relief.
6. Store Oil Properly Between Uses
It is important to store the CBD oil properly between uses so that it doesn’t go bad before it’s gone. CBD oil should be kept in its original packaging in a cool, dark place to maintain full potency and thus continue to receive the desired benefits. This place could be a cabinet or a pantry.
You want to ensure that light, such as UV rays from the sun, doesn’t get to the bottle, as it can break down the components faster, making it less potent. You also want to store the CBD oil away from heat. So, the cabinet above your stovetop or oven is probably not the best place. Ensure the dropper is clean before replacing it so you don’t introduce contaminants into the oil. Also, close the lid tightly so air and humidity don’t affect the potency.
7. Learn All You Can About CBD
Do as much research as possible about CBD before giving CBD to your dog. Ensuring you are armed with the latest and most accurate information will help you safely administer CBD oil to your dog. Make sure to ask for certificates of analysis. Make sure to know all the possible side effects so you know what to watch for once CBD has been administered.
Ensure you also understand the benefits and which of that list you hope your dog will receive. Knowledge is power, and ensuring you have as much knowledge as possible about CBD will help keep your dog healthy and safe while they use CBD.
8. Keep Your Veterinarian Informed
Have your veterinarian involved in the process from the very beginning. As part of your learning about CBD, you should ask your vet about CBD use and whether it suits your dog or puppy. Once you’ve agreed to use CBD oil for your dog, your vet can help you determine which dosage amount to start with. Keep your vet in the loop on how your dog is doing at each dosage amount given.
Let your vet know of any adverse side effects and consult on the best course of action to treat those effects. Keeping your veterinarian informed is another way to ensure your dog stays safe and healthy during their CBD use.
How to Give CBD Oil to Dogs
Now that you know how to keep your dogs safe while they use CBD oil, it’s time to talk about how to give CBD oil to dogs. One of the easiest and fastest ways to give CBD oil to dogs is in tincture form. To do this, you simply provide the proper amount directly from the dropper into your dog’s mouth. The oil should dissolve quickly and be well on its way to providing excellent benefits.
If you’re finding it difficult to give your dog their dose in tincture form, add the correct dose to their food. To get the total dosage and see the benefits of CBD use, your dog needs to eat all the food to which CBD oil has been added. You can also add the oil to your dog’s treats to help them take their dose. If all else fails, you can get CBD treats, but oil form is an easy way to know that you’re giving your dog the proper dose and not too much CBD.
Give Your Pup Spruce CBD Oil for Best Results
With the proper knowledge and understanding of CBD’s benefits and possible side effects and how to safely administer CBD to your dog, you’re ready to help your dog start experiencing the benefits of CBD use.
Whether they need help with anxiety, seizures, sleep, pain, or inflammation, CBD is available to help your dog get the relief they deserve. Just make sure to talk with your veterinarian about CBD and your dog, and always do your research to ensure you’re getting a high-quality product.
Now that you know more about how to give CBD oil to dogs, we invite you to check out Spruce’s CBD oil as a high-quality option for you and your pup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Give Dogs Straight CBD Oil?
Yes. You can give the CBD oil in tincture form straight from the dropper into your dog’s mouth. It is that easy. If that form is difficult for your dog to take, you can add the oil to their food or a treat to help them take it.
How Fast Does CBD Oil Kick in for Dogs?
While there is a possibility of seeing benefits from CBD oil after one dose, it is more likely to take a few days or weeks for the CBD oil to kick in for dogs. This time it takes is because you will need to work on finding the correct dosage for your dog, and their body needs time for CBD to build up and become effective.
As you consistently give your dog their CBD dose, CBD will build up in their body and become more present in their bloodstream, leading to more significant and noticeable results.
Can I Give My Dog CBD Oil Without Food?
The short answer is yes. Dogs can be given CBD oil without food. If your dog has an upset stomach when taking it without food, try giving the oil with food to help coat their stomach a little and ease any gastrointestinal discomfort. If your dog is still experiencing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea after giving CBD oil with food, you may need to lower the dosage.
Always check with your veterinarian regarding their recommendations for giving CBD oil with or without food and any concerns you may have about gastrointestinal symptoms.
What Is the Overall Best Way to Administer CBD Oil to Dogs?
The best way to administer CBD oil to dogs is in tincture form. It is easy to do and allows you more control over the dosage amount so you don’t accidentally give your dog too high a dose. Though it can be helpful to give CBD as a treat, tincture form provides more flexibility in how you administer CBD oil. Tincture form allows you to administer oil directly into your dog’s mouth and add it to treats or food.
