You and Rover share everything. You enjoy long walks together, he sleeps at the foot of your bed, and you may even sneak him a bite or two of your ham sandwich. So when you’re eating your Verma Farms CBD Gummies, and Rover starts sitting, laying down, and rolling over in the hope of getting a treat, you may wonder if you can share those with him too. After all, he could probably use a little something to recover from that long run you shared, too.
The answer is kind of complicated. CBD has the same benefits for pets as it does for humans. This is because CBD works with the endocannabinoid system in order to work its magic. Every animal has one. So all pets—whether fur, feathers, or fins—experience pain relief, lowered anxiety, better sleep, faster recovery time, and even healthier skin. CBD is just as good for pets as humans.
The problem with sharing your CBD gummies with Rover, is that the dosing will not be correct for pets. While Rover will experience the exact same benefits, he is not the same size as you and will need a different dose. It is nearly impossible to overdose on CBD, but smaller pets may experience loose stool and lethargy when given too much CBD. For most this is merely an annoyance, but you may need to be careful with smaller animals who have digestive problems.
Benefits Pets Reap From CBD
CBD is a natural alternative to other medications your vet may prescribe. It has no side effects and unlike NSAIDS, it does not damage the liver. You can give CBD to your pet to stop seizures, help relieve itchy skin or joint pain, improve their appetite, and even improve heart functioning. CBD has antiseptic properties that promote healing and inhibits the growth of abnormal cells, which is why research is currently underway for using CBD to treat some cancers.
CBD can improve mobility, inflammation, and joint health in older pets. So Fido can get out there and really enjoy those long walks again. Both of you taking CBD may just be exactly what you two needed in order to start feeling happier and healthier together.
With the booming CBD industry, different products of every type are cropping up everywhere. CBD gummies, CBD fruit leather, CBD topical creams, and CBD specifically formulated for your pet. And since there are options that your pet is sure to love, it is easier than ever to find the right CBD product for your furry, feathery, or scaly friend.
What to Look For
The key to finding the right product for Fido, however, is knowing what to look for. CBD products are only recently federally legal, and regulatory practices are still being ironed out. Because of this, there are all sorts of bogus products on the market. Some products are improperly labeled with the wrong dosage and concentration, while others are made with hemp that has been sprayed with pesticides or fertilizers.
This is why it is absolutely necessary to be certain of where your CBD products are coming from, whether they are for you or your pet. The USDA is in charge of regulating the farming of hemp, the plant used to make CBD, and it has some of the strictest regulations in the world. If your CBD is made with hemp from the United States, then you know it is subjected to stricter regulations than if it had been grown in another country.
Hemp cleans its environment by soaking up all the toxins in surrounding air and soil. Because of this, it is essential to make sure your CBD pet product comes from plants that were organically grown. This way, you have the peace of mind of knowing it was grown in clean soil, and was not sprayed with any dangerous chemicals.
You may also want to consider the extraction process used to make the CBD your products contain. It is difficult to control the exact balance of cannabinoids in the hemp plant, and so the process used will determine how precise your dosage is. Additionally, some extraction processes require use of additives and solvents that may remain in the distilled CBD. It is best to go with a product that uses a CO2 extraction process, because this technique does not require any solvents. Additionally, the process results in the highest level of potency accuracy out of any of the other processes.
Finally, you also want to look for third party lab results. This is important because it will give you peace of mind, knowing that everything on the label is accurate. Third party labs have no investment in any particular product or batch, and so they have no reason to falsify results. Reputable CBD companies will make these results available to you so you can verify the potency and purity of your product. If these results have been made available by the company, they will either be on their website, directly on their package, or accessible through a QR code on the packaging.
Dosing
This is the tricky part and why it is helpful to buy a product meant for your pet. There are no official recommended doses and different websites make different recommendations. The key is not giving your pet too much. Again, it is nearly impossible to overdose, but smaller dogs could experience loose stool. If you are sharing your CBD gummies or oil with your pet, then you will need to do some math and careful measuring to figure it out. But using individually-dosed treats are the perfect way to give Fido exactly the dose he needs.
It is good to start small with your pet, and give the smallest recommended dose. This starts at one milligram for a 10-pound or cat, and goes up by one milligram per ten pounds (so two milligrams for a 20-pound dog, three milligrams for a 30-pound dog, etc.). You can gradually increase the dose after you know how your pet responds. This way, you don’t end up giving your beloved friend too much at a time.
Verma Farms offers delicious steak-flavored treats that are five milligrams each. Other companies offer biscuits, topical creams for paws, oils and sprays for direct dosing, and even CBD-infused peanut butter. Regardless of which product you choose, make sure you trust the brand to use organic farming methods and pure extraction techniques. Third-party lab results should be available to verify purity and potency.
When you can share the benefits of CBD with your pet, you improve the quality of both of your lives. CBD can help you and Fido enjoy more of life pain-free, relaxed, and rested. You can share your CBD with Fido, but he is better off getting his own delicious treats with just the right amount of CBD just for him. Get started on a regimen of CBD and enjoy life to the fullest with your best friend.
