We have all heard of cbd oils, cbd treats, cbd balms, cbd bath bombs and the lists go on and on. For humans there are so many different options and for our dogs there are just as many variations to the ways to get our little furry friends what they need to be happy and healthy. In our article we will look at the two main ways to get the oil into their bodies , the pros and cons as well as the differences between them. We will only really be diving into the forms of delivery so treats and oils and assume all things being equal amongst the medicinal points of the ingredients.
CBD Oils and their Pros
CBD oils are the first delivery method that came out. It was easiest to get the cbd into an oil as the oil is not water soluble, and needs to delivered via a fat. This way the medical aspects can get into the body the fastest and most effective way. When you take cbd into a body, human or pet, the bioavailability increases as there is a smoother delivery method. It is like driving, if you can drive on a flat nicely paved highway you will be able to get somewhere faster (and save gas) versus going down a windy road with lots of potholes.
This brings up the main advantage of oil, and that is the speed of delivery and uptake. When a dog ingests cbd oil it will get into their system as quickly as possible. The positive aspects of the oil can be seen within 20 minutes of being administered, which is great if you are in a rush. This is really good if you are dealing with issues that need medication right away. As mentioned before we use the oil for dealing with seizures, so it is great that we can get a bit extra in at the first signs of seizure like activity as it can sometime avoid the episode.
CBD treats and their Pros
CBD treats are generally hard or soft dog treats that are either soaked with cbd oil, or have medicinal ingredients within them. As mentioned in another post, although CBD is found in hemp there are other plants that also contain this chemical. The nice thing about cbd treats, again going back to the car analogy, is that they are like a little honda civic. They are easy to get around and you don’t have to worry about needing anything special in order to get your dog to eat them.
CBD treats can have an advantage over the oil, and that is that they can last in a system a bit longer. As they are carried into the system as more of a solid the body takes longer to process them and thus they stay providing the benefits in our little dogs system for longer.
CBD treats also have a portability factor that oil just does not have. It is very easy to put a couple treats in your pocket just in case you need them. When you compare that to taking a little bottle of oil around, and then the issues that come with that like it leaking etc. it is obvious that medicated treats easily take the cake for being the easiest to keep around.
CBD Oil Cons
CBD oil is great that it gets into their system a lot quicker than treats, however as quickly as it is absorbed it is also out of the system. This is because the oil and carrier liquid is quickly digestible. This means that you have to increase the frequency of the dosing to avoid issues. So while they are great for fast action, they are lacking in longevity.
Another issue with oil is that you need to take it out with you in a bottle, use a dropper, and then pray that it gets into your dogs mouth. When I use it I usually have to put it onto a treat, so the convenience factor is a major con of the oil.
The final issue is that CBD oil can be broken down when exposed to UV light. This means that you will need to have special bottles, if your bottles did not come with this type of protection.
CBD treat Cons
It might seem redundant but just like the oil, the delivery method can be a good and bad thing. The bad thing about medicated treats is that they take a while to get into their system. Because the body has to break down the oil and get into the system. This means that if you have an episode coming on, you wouldn’t want to use a treat to try to avoid the issue.
Final thoughts on Oil vs. Treats
It is somewhat hard to compare the two as they do serve different purposes. Each has their different purposes, so knowing what is right for you will depend on how you use the products. It is very important that it isn’t that one is better than the other. Rather one product will do better in certain situations than the other. There is also nothing saying that you can only use one of the products or the other, as used together they form a great delivery method. When you do this you can take advantage of both of their benefits while reducing their drawbacks.