“What can I give my dog for pain? What are effective medications that can help with pain management in dogs?”
If you’re a fur parent to a dog that is suffering from health issues, you have surely asked similar questions. Many dog owners ask themselves these questions when searching for an effective and safe remedy to alleviate a dog’s pain.
Normally, your search results will display prescription medicines, drugstore topicals, oral medications, and even home remedies. However, there’s a new advancement in the medical field that may pique your interest — cannabidiol or CBD oil. This is one of the most popular solutions for pain management in dogs as it is marketed even by professional vets.
Now, can CBD oil really help your dogs with pain management?
Let’s find out in the following sections.
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CBD is a relatively recent discovery in medicine that is created in the cannabis plant, specifically it’s a cannabinoid that is called cannabidiol, or the term that has been used in the vernacular, CBD. This is a naturally occurring compound in cannabis plants.
There’s a common misconception that CBD oil will make you “high”, however, that is another cannabinoid, THC, that gives one a psychoactive effect. CBD isn’t addictive, however, some will feel some side effects, which we discuss below.
CBD instead gives off qualities like assisting with anxiety, like when your dog hears fireworks or a thunderstorm, it has beneficial anti-inflammatory qualities, and is even therapeutic.
This is all well and good, but will CBD oil work on dogs, specifically in managing their pain?
The answer that you’re looking for is yes. Although the effects are on a case-by-case basis, many dogs will feel some effects of the CBD.
There are several medical studies supporting this, but one of the most notable involves the research of some Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine staff members1. The results found that CBD oil greatly assisted in relieving dogs’ pain and improving their overall health and quality of life.
While many dogs who consume CBD oil should see some assistance with their pain management, CBD may also assist the dog with other benefits that include:
Keep in mind that you can only make the most out of these benefits if you give the CBD oil properly to your dogs. We will talk more about this in the later sections.
No matter if a medication is CBD-based or not, there will always be certain risks tied to it. This is most especially when it comes to dogs since it can be hard to keep track of what exactly they are feeling. That said, here are some risks that you should look out for:
There are times when the dog becomes sensitive to CBD oil. It can be because of allergy, or their body is simply reacting and getting used to the substance. This leads to side effects, such as skin rashes, dry mouth, drowsiness, and dizziness.
Depending on how your dog reacts to oral medication, you may find it easy or difficult to give them CBD oil via a tincture dropper.
You don’t have to worry, though, many CBD brands produce CBD treats that have measured CBD dosages into each CBD treat, like one of our favorite brands, cbdMD which has an entire pet product line.
If you decide to use a dropper to administer the CBD to your dog you can either measure out the desired dosage and squeeze the oil into their mouth or put the oil onto their food. Some CBD oil has a natural flavor, however, so some dogs may ignore their food when the oil is added to it.
Many brands have added chicken or bacon flavor to their CBD pet product line which is a very appreciated addition to the CBD industry.
Not all CBD oils are the same. Certain formulas have varying doses, concentrations, and additional ingredients. If you don’t pay enough attention, there’s a possibility of CBD giving your dog more, or less, CBD than you had initially desired.
To avoid these risks, below are some precautions that you should take before giving your dog CBD:
Basically, all you need to do is follow proper instructions whenever giving your dog CBD oil. Most oils come with their respective instructions, so make sure to check them before anything else. Your vet may also have their own recommendations.
To wrap it up, it’s safe to say that CBD oil is a good alternative for assisting your fury friend with some ailments, like pain management.
Always consult with your vet prior, use authentic CBD oil, follow the recommended dosing, and use appropriate methods in giving the medication. As mentioned many dogs will reap the benefits of CBD, however, sadly not all will.
references
1Gamble, L.-J., Boesch, J. M., Frye, C. W., Schwark, W. S., Mann, S., Wolfe, L., Brown, H., Berthelsen, E. S., & Wakshlag, J. J. (2018, July 23). Pharmacokinetics, safety, and clinical efficacy of cannabidiol treatment in osteoarthritic dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2018.00165/full