The idea of your dog taking marijuana products can be scary. You don’t know how they might react to the effects. Don’t worry, though, CBD won’t make your dog high because it is not psychoactive.

CBD is one of the cannabinoids found in marijuana. Unlike THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), which is psychoactive, CBD is known more for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Humans have used cannabis for over a thousand years to treat various illnesses. Now, many pet owners are turning to cannabis products to treat their sick pets as well and finding it very beneficial.

Cannabinoids like CBD are potential treatments for various diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pain, lack of appetite, and epilepsy. CBD is also used in the management of cancer, nausea, and vomiting.

Dogs have an endocannabinoid system similar to that of humans. It means that a substance that affects the human endocannabinoid system will affect dogs in the same way.

Many pet owners are turning to CBD oil for dogs. Here is why:

1. It Relieves Stress and Anxiety

Does your dog have separation or noise anxiety? Does it bark a lot and get jittery when you leave? CBD may help.

CBD binds to dogs’ endocannabinoid system and helps in balancing emotions. When you give a dog CBD, the drug is known to intiate neurotransmitters that convey hormones that calm the dog when stressed.

CBD is not only useful for dogs with separation anxiety but also phobia. If your dog can’t be around people, you can try giving it some CBD.

2. Improves Brain Function

When you bond with your dog, you become lifetime friends. Sadly, dogs do not live as long as humans. They have a lifespan of about 13 years. Your dog will start aging rapidly after about eight years. This can be a sad process as its brain starts to waste.

Inflammatory Central Nervous System (CNS) Disease is common in older dogs. When a dog has CNS, it may lose the sense of its environment. Communicating with it will become difficult, and it may lose its way around frequently.

Endocannabinoids play a key role in modulating neurotransmitter activity in the CNS system. This provides evidence that the dysfunction of the cannabinoid system contributes to canine inflammatory CNS diseases.

Placing your aging dog on CBD therapy can help boost its endocannabinoid system. CBD supports mitochondria development and cellular function. CBD is also known to have anti-inflammatory benefits, which improve brain health.

3. CBD Treats Itchiness

You probably have a dog that itches a lot, and no medication seems to work. The cause may be food, fleas, or lice. Some dogs seem to respond better to these allergies than others. The secret is that they have a strong immune system.

CBD offers relief for many allergic reactions in dogs such as dermatitis. The anti-inflammatory properties in CBD can be useful for itchy dogs. CBD can also boosts the dog’s immunity, giving it a better chance to manage allergies.

4. CBD Increases Appetite

Is your dog giving you trouble eating and you can’t find a solution? Dogs need to have a good appetite because that is what makes them healthy.

If the dog is unwell it may have nausea, which may cause a lack of appetite. Without eating, your dog may not have a good chance of fighting off diseases.

CBD can stimulate appetite and help dogs that are struggling to eat. CBD can also help sick dogs relax and get quality sleep, which is helpful for healing.

5. CBD Relieves Pain

Chronic pain is a prevalent condition in dogs. This type of pain is maladaptive as it does not offer any protective function. Pain causes stress in dogs and takes out their joy. If your pet seems dull, it could possibly be suffering from chronic pain.

CBD can be efficient in treating hard to treat pain. It also is known to have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation that causes pain. The endocannabinoid receptors that CBD binds to also help modulate pain transmission.

While CBD is not a conventional treatment for dogs, many holistic veterinary practitioners recommend CBD for dogs suffering from joint pain. Joint pain caused by arthritis is common in aging dogs.

CBD can relax the nerves and help soothe the pain resulting from damaged nerves or cartilage. CBD can also be beneficial in alleviating intestinal inflammation.

6. CBD is natural and Non-toxic

If you are worried about CBD toxicity, worry not. Many studies that focus on the toxicity of marijuana look at the psychoactive element THC and not CBD in isolation.

CBD is not psychoactive, and it will not give the euphoric high associated with marijuana. CBD contains therapeutic properties without the psychoactive element.

There is no toxicity associated with CBD. You don’t have to worry about your dog overdosing and getting sick from CBD.

What this all Means

CBD is seen as a revolutionary treatment for many diseases in humans and now the benefits are being extended to dogs. CBD is not only known to offer relief from ailments, but it also can improve the overall health of the dog.

There is limited research on the benefits of CBD to dogs. However, initial studies show promising outcomes with fears of toxicity having been ruled out. Some dog owners and vets are already experimenting with CBD on their sick dogs. While there is still a long way to go, the results show great potential.

Considering the National Cancer Institute purports that approximately 1.8 million United States citizens will undergo a positive cancer diagnosis in 2020, it’s understandable that CBD and cancer are increasingly mentioned in the same breath.

Perhaps you’ve already replaced a few over-the-counter products for CBD varieties, but even if you haven’t, here are four ways CBD can help cancer patients to lead an optimum life despite the harmful prescription medications and treatments needed to defeat the second-deadliest illness in the US behind only heart disease.

1. Insomnia

You or a loved one don’t need a cancer diagnosis to understand how critical sleep is to recovery. If you’ve ever had the common flu or sprained ankle, a solid night’s deep slumber is uber essential.

It’s known in the medical community that cancer-related meds and treatments can cause horrible insomnia. That’s where CBD can be a godsend. It can alleviate sleep-disruptive factors like anxiety, depression, and pain, and can take effect as quickly as 15 minutes after consumption to give your body the respite it so badly craves.

Chemo and radiation are chock-full of terrible side effects, which include nausea and reduced appetite. Some research has shown that cannabinoids could ease neuropathic discomfort and nausea.

• Pain and inflammation relief

The relationship between CBD and cancer is just as intertwined as CBD and muscle recovery. The main difference between the latter and the former is why your muscles may be in a world of hurt on certain days.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Chemo and radiation are brutal on the human body, causing side effects like inflammation and often-intense physical pain.

Enter CBD products with the potential to help with everything from muscle inflammation and increase energy levels the following day because of the ability mentioned above to help with insomnia.

• Quality and confidence

With the legalization of THC and CBD products in California and scores of additional states, gone are the days of purchasing items from unregulated sources. Not only can you feel confident purchasing through established industry leaders, but many will deliver to your home, which is especially helpful if you’re too sick to leave home or if you’re out-of-town loved one wishes to send products directly to your doorstep.

From insomnia to inflammation to anxiety relief, there’s not much CBD do. One last benefit for CBD and cancer-related issues: Products are available in multiple shapes and sizes, including oils easily added to favorite foods and drinks, discrete edibles ideal for traveling within the United States, and soothing bath salts to provide the physical relief the body craves while fighting this terrible disease.