CBD, indeed, is one of the best things that you can give to your dog. They promote the health of your dog and cater to certain serious health issues. In recent days, CBD has become one of the most popular substitutes among dog parents. From CBD oil to treats – it is just everywhere. But it comes with a catch. CBD dosages for dogs vary. You cannot give the same dosage to different types of dogs and expect the same results.
CBD dosages for dogs may change depending on a number of factors. These factors decide how the substitute is going to work on your dog’s body and how effectively it will cure its problems.
As a dog parent who is planning to start using CBD for their dogs, it is important that you understand the importance of dosages and how you can adjust them depending on the various issues in your dog.
How Does CBD Help Dogs?
Dogs have an endocannabinoid system, just like human beings. It is a complicated network of transmitters and receptors that help in maintaining a number of functions in the body. CBD interacts with these endocannabinoid receptors and enzyme function. It interacts primarily with the CB1 and CB2 receptors. The CB1 receptors are present in the brain and the central nervous system. On the other hand, the CB2 receptors are more available in the peripheral organs and the immune system.
When CBD interacts with these receptors, they help in regulating multiple processes like the perception of pain, immune system, appetite, and mood in dogs. It also has the ability to promote the production of certain natural cannabinoids within the body of the dog, further helping to maintain balance and the overall well-being of your pet.
While the accurate mechanisms are yet to be studied, the possible benefits for dogs are becoming highly visible, making it a very promising option for dealing with a number of health conditions.
Benefits Of CBD For Your Dogs
Now, before we move onto the CBD dosages for your dog, it is important that you know exactly what issues in your pet can heal. CBD has some of the most extraordinary capabilities that rightly interact with your dog’s endocannabinoid system to heal its issues.
Some of the most prominent problems that CBD is known to heal are:
Pain Management And Joint Health
CBD has anti-inflammatory properties in it. It can assist dogs in managing any pain that is associated with joint pain, arthritis pain, or injuries. Curing these pains may enhance your dog’s overall comfort and improve their mobility.
Anxiety And Stress
Dogs struggle with anxiety more than you can imagine. Even the simplest situations may increase anxiety in dogs. Traveling, loud noise, firecrackers, etc can make your dog calm, thus easing a stressful situation.
Relaxation And Focus
CBD can contribute to a very relaxed state of mind in dogs. It makes it easier for them to stay focused and concentrate during their training sessions or other activities.
Overall Wellness
CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system, promoting a degree of balance and homeostasis in the dog’s body. It supports their overall health and immune function.
It is important to keep in mind that CBD comes with many other potential benefits. How effective it turns out to be depends from one dog to the other. Deciding the right dosage for your dog is important. It is best to talk with a vet even before you start using CBD as a supplement for your dog. CBD may sometimes interact differently with certain medications. So, if your dog is already taking certain medicines, you need to make sure that it does not have any adverse effects after interacting with CBD.
CBD Dosages For Dogs: How To Begin
CBD dosages for your dog depend on a number of factors that matter. It does not necessarily have to be the state or condition of your dog alone; there are other factors that come into play, too.
For beginners, once you get to understand the measurement of the dose for your dog, giving them CBD becomes a simpler process to continue with.
Talk To Your Vet Before You Start
CBD is not some random candy that you give to your dog for fun. It is a supplement that might work differently in your dog than others. So, the best way to start using it safely is by consulting with your vet first. Not only will they be able to decide if it is at all safe and effective for your dog’s rare problems, but they’ll also be able to come up with the right dosage recommendations.
However, in parts of the country, vets are not allowed to openly discuss the usage of CBD because of legal restrictions. So, you need to keep that in mind before visiting any vet.
Spit The Dosage Up
For continuing use, it is better to split up the suggested daily dose of your dog into two portions. Give them the two dosages six to eight hours apart.
For one-time users, giving the entire dose in one go will be sufficient.
Do Not Be Afraid To Experiment
Just like human beings, every dog is different. So, there is never just one answer when it comes to picking up the right dosage for your dog.
That means you can do a few experiments to figure out what works best for them. Worry not, as your dog shall not get intoxicated from CBD. CBD products contain less than 0.3 percent THC in them, so there is no chance of toxicity. If you are worried about overdosing, there is no chance of it either. And in case your dog does overdose on CBD, the symptoms will not be something to worry about. Just a bit of water and a calm environment will make them sleep through the overdosing symptoms.
Be Consistent
For continuous use, CBD will take a certain amount of time to show its effects correctly. So, make sure that you give the product enough time and be consistent with its dosages. Giving the recommended dose twice a day for at least four to five days before measuring the results is one of the best practices to begin with.
CBD Dosages For Dogs: Calculating The Dosage
Now that you know how to introduce and practice giving CBD to your dog, it is important that you know exactly how to calculate the right dosage for the dog type. If you have never used CBD before, the perfect amount to start with is 2 milligrams of CBD for every 10 lb body weight.
Remember that a canine companion is pretty unique. So, just a bit of trial and error is okay to find out just the exact right dose for your dog. It is absolutely healthy and normal.
Now that you know about the standard measurement, it will become easier for you to decide the right dose for your dog, depending on their size. However, these measurements are always open for alterations. This means that if the preferable dose for your dog is 8 milligrams, but you think 9 milligrams work better, you can easily go for it.
CBD Dosages For Dogs: Administration
Giving your dog CBD is not the end of it. It is equally important that you are administering the whole process to make sure that everything is in place.
Timing
CBD works at its full potential when it does not have to compete with a full stomach. So, it is better to give CBD to your dog somewhere twenty minutes before they eat for the best possible results. Most dogs respond to CBD within 30 to 40 minutes. So, it is best to give them CBD at least an hour before they take part in any stressful event to be on the safer side.
Giving CBD Treats
Most dogs are fond of delicious CBD treats more than any other variant of CBD. These treats have the best flavor profile – one of the biggest reasons why dogs love them.
But, if your dog finds it hard to chew anything, you can easily break the treats and mix them with broth or milk.
And, if your dog is highly picky, mixing a couple of drops of CBD oil in their regular food is the best way to feed it to them.
CBD Oils
For starters, CBD oil might be a bit intimidating. However, they allow for consistency and make it easy to customize the doses, particularly if you are administering them at home.
Many dogs tend to lick CBD oil right out of their little dish. If not, it is just a matter of mixing the oil with a small quantity of peanut butter, milk, or other favorite dishes.
If you wish to use topical CBD, make sure you select a product that does not have any animal-based ingredients in it.
Which CBD Product Should You Give Your Dog?
Once you are aware of the right CBD dosages for your dog, it is also important that you know which CBD product to give to them.
CBD Pet Oil
Oils are one of the most versatile methods to give your dogs CBD. Also, you can easily customize the amount you give to them. CBD oils, unlike any other CBD variant, are available in a number of strengths.
You can either combine CBD oil in your dog’s food or just give it directly to them. However, if you choose to give them directly, you need to pry their mouths open to make them properly take in the oil. And, knowing dogs, this is one difficult task to perform.
CBD Pet Treats
Dogs adore the taste of treats infused with CBD. So, this is one of the easiest delivery methods when it comes to giving CBD to your dog. These treats also allow for a fixed dose method, as each piece contains only a fixed amount of CBD in them. This may be an advantage or a drawback, depending on the amount of CBD that your dog requires.
Also, treats are not as messy as CBD oils. Hence, it makes them a really good option if you are traveling with your dog.
CBD Dog Bones
CBD dog bones are uncommon, but one of the best ways to keep your dog occupied while at the same time delivering a bit of relaxation. But, they are certainly not the best way of delivering.
Most bones do not have enough CBD in them to cater to specific issues in dogs. It is technically difficult to measure how much CBD your dog gets every time it chews on the bone.
For effective results, treats or oils work the best.
What If CBD Is Not Working?
Every pet owner prioritizes the health of their pet more than their own. Being a dog parent, you certainly do have some high hopes for CBD after reading all the reviews on the internet. So, you give it to your dog, and it does not work out.
It does get disheartening, but there are some actual reasons behind CBD not working effectively in your dog. Some of them might include:
Not using it for long enough: It takes around 1 to 2 weeks for CBD to perform in your dog’s body. So, make sure that you have given it to them for long enough before you choose to assess the results.
The dosage is incorrect: If you are not giving the right dose of CBD to your pet, the results might not show up as you expected. You always have the chance to experiment with the dosage before you get to the right one.
The product quality is not good: Ensure that the CBD product you are using is tested by third-party labs. This will make sure that it has the right amount of all the ingredients that are needed. This also raises a matter of safety. 3rd party testing makes sure that the product does not contain any harmful ingredients from bad farming or production processes.
The Bottom Line
CBD dosages for dogs are not really about science. For the best results, make sure that you calculate the right dosage, use the best quality product available in the market, and keep using it till you see the expected symptoms that your dog is healing.
The most important things to keep in mind while dosing CBD for dogs are to start at low dosages, slowly adjust, and be consistent. If you keep doing this, your dog’s overall well-being will improve, and you will get some peace of mind.
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