24 Facts About CBD and CBD Oil for Dogs You May Not Know

One of the biggest booms we’re seeing in the pet industry right now is for CBD products. A growing number of pet parents are looking at CBD products and hemp-derived products to help their dogs with pain, anxiety and more. But what do you know about CBD and CBD oil for dogs–and how can you select the best product for your dog?

What is CBD and what is hemp? Are they legal? What do they DO? Let’s take a look at this product and its long history of use.

This post is brought to you by Bio Hemp™ + Bites, the first CBD product to contain capsicum which activates the TRPV1 receptor, known to influence pain perception. This Full Spectrum hemp extract was exclusively developed to support joints, gastrointestinal, immune, and nervous systems.

Facts About CBD

Here’s a quick rundown of facts — including some fun facts — on one of the hottest topics in the pet world right now:

CBD stands for cannabidiol.
Cannabidiol is one of 113 identified cannabinoids found in Cannabis Sativa.
Hemp plants can contain no more than 0.3 percent THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psycho-active compound of marijuana.
Marijuana plants contain more than 0.3 percent THC.
Marijuana and hemp are both cannabis plants.
CBD and hemp-derived products work by impacting Cannabinoid receptors, part of the endocannabinoid system, which is involved not only with pain sensation but also appetite, mood and memory.
Hemp is used for making many items including rope and clothing.
The 2018 Farm Bill made hemp and hemp-derived products legal across the US. According to Brookings, “It explicitly allows the transfer of hemp-derived products across state lines for commercial or other purposes. It also puts no restrictions on the sale, transport, or possession of hemp-derived products, so long as those items are produced in a manner consistent with the law.”
CBD products derived from hemp are legal across the US.
CBD products derived from marijuana remain a Schedule I Controlled Substance in the United States at this time.
Marijuana is still classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance.
A cannabinoid is a compound that interacts directly with an animals Endocannabinoid System (ECS), which in short is a network of receptors that interact with cannabinoids to maintain vital functions throughout the body.
CBD products for pets are available in liquid tincture form, pills, and treats.
According to Animal Nutritional Products, “Liquid tinctures seem to work better when given on an empty stomach.”
When CBD and capsaicin bind to the TRPV1 receptor, there is a significant likelihood of reduced pain, stress, and seizures.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has found no risk of public health or dependence. According to a preliminary WHO report, “No studies of the physical dependence potential of CBD in animals were identified.”
WHO also noted, “CBD is generally well tolerated with a good safety profile.”
Thomas Jefferson was a hemp farmer. “”Hemp is of the first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country,” the third president once wrote.
Hemp has been cultivated for over 10,000 years.
According to WHO, “CBD has been demonstrated as an effective treatment of epilepsy in several clinical trials, with one pure CBD product (Epidiolex®) currently in Phase III trials.”
“There is also preliminary evidence that CBD may be a useful treatment for a number of other medical conditions,” the WHO report notes. “The range of conditions for which CBD has been assessed is diverse, consistent with its neuroprotective, antiepileptic, hypoxia-ischemia, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, and antitumor properties.”
Hemp has been called a carbon negative product, needing only 1/14th of the water that cotton crops require.
Henry Ford once created the prototype of a car made from–and powered by–hemp.
More and more brands–for pets and humans–are considering CBD products. Coca-Cola even recently began serious consideration of a drink for humans with CBD for health benefits.

What should you look for in buying CBD for your dog?

Know the Company

Have they formulated or manufactured other supplements in the past?

Look at the Label

Does the label have a proper Supplement Facts box that shows each ingredient with corresponding values?

Warning Signals

Label claims on a CBD product should give you the first warning signal. The law does not permit label claims unless proven.

Be cautious if a product calls itself CBD. It is safer to go with a product that states Hemp Extract instead of CBD.

Proper Labeling and Dosing

Do you know how much to give a 60-pound dog or a 7-pound cat? Proper dosing guidelines to start with are essential.

You can adjust up or down depending on the symptoms with some guidance from the manufacturer.

Mandatory, Third Party Analysis

What are the label claims of the ingredients in the product? Make sure that you are shown an up to date Certificate of Analysis that pertains to that lot number. Over 80% of the products on the market do not contain what they state on the label.