Right now, CBD is the word on the lips of every man… and his dog. As use of CBD continues to rise, and as people continue to feel the benefits thereof, naturally some of us have wondered whether those benefits could also extend to our furry pals.
The starting point here should be, as ever, caution. Just because a product is safe for human consumption does not mean that it is automatically safe for dogs (or other animals).
A 2017 World Health Organization report indicated that CBD, in its pure state, appears to be safe and well-tolerated by animals.
This is a good base to work from, but more information is needed to fully understand the effect of CBD on animals and, moreover, there are other concerns to be aware of, as discussed below.
Not all CBD products are pure CDB.
For example, the artificial sweetener Xylitol™ is extremely toxic to dogs, even in very small doses. Many human grade CBD products (although, not Real Cannabis Club CBD products) contain this artificial sweetener. It is therefore critical to avoid giving such products to your pet.
Read: Endocannabinoid – A Human Catalyst
Other flavourings frequently used in human-grade CBD products can also give rise to certain issues, e.g. certain essential oils used to flavour CBD products such as wintergreen or citrus oils can be a problem for cats. Another problem with some human grade products, and one that we have discussed in several of our other blogs, are that they may contain high amounts of THC, the psychoactive chemical found in cannabis.
Whilst the levels of THC may just be trace, or otherwise very little in amount, and so do not cause any harm to humans, such levels could nevertheless be unsafe for dog, cats and other animals. Further, as we have touched upon before, many CBD products actually contain much higher levels of THC than their label states. This obviously could pose a greater risk again to our four-footed friends.
The crux of the matter is this: CBD products made for people are calibrated to human bodies in terms of their concentration.
Animals typically have a more sensitive endocannabinoid system, and a single drop of CBD oil made for human consumption may be too much CBD for an animal.
Read: CBD Products: When is Enough, Enough?
There are some companies who offer CBD products for animals, and whilst Real Cannabis Club is keeping an eye on the developments in this area, we feel it is too early to get involved – we want to see more research on the interactions between CBD and animals before we look at any “C(anine)BD Oil”, so that we can continue to ensure that our products are safe and effective for all our customers (regardless of how many paws they have).
In the interim, if you do want to get your pet onto a CBD course, please do proceed with caution, and make sure you don’t go barking up the wrong hemp plant tree.
Check out https://fluentwoof.com/cbd-
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